Edoras: A History
by malfoy lea
Summary: After a fight escalates, Lothiriel and Eomer find out that marriage is more than just a word on their marriage contract. But finding love proves to be harder than expected, especially when two people as stubborn as the King of Rohan and the Princess of Dol Amroth are involved.
1. Chapter 1

„My Lord! This is not a wise idea!" Lothiriel said in a harsh voice. The King of Rohan slammed is mug on the table and turned his head to her.

„And this is exactly why women shouldn't be allowed to take part in councils. Especially when the national safety of Rohan is at stake! All they have are opinions without any reasons. "

„Eomer…" Eothain said softly. „She is your wife."

Lothiriel sat straighter and tried not to look hurt.

„Listen, Eomer King," she began, but was interrupted.

„I don't have to listen to you. What do you know about leading a country?" He said in a nasty, loud voice. The councellors, including Eothain, stared slightly embarassed on the mead in their hands. This meeting wasn't meant to escalate in a marital fight.

Lothiriel sighed. Everyone knew that their marriage wasn't built on love, but her new people tried its hardest to ignore it.

„The Westfold was raided once, I am not going to let that happen a second time! The riddermark needs a king, not a scribe. I have to go."

Lothiriel reached for Eomers hand, but he refused to take it.

„I didn't say that the Westfold shouldn't be protected. I just want you to stay behind, to stay safe."

These had been definitely the wrong words. Lothiriel froze. For Eomer, to say staying behind sounded as if she implied he couldn't take care of himself. Instantly, she wanted to slap herself.

The table had gone dangerously quiet.

„I will certainly not stay behind." Eomer said through clenched teeth. „Maybe you can't understand it, for your life goals as a princess of Gondor have been marriage and a golden cage. Congratulations, you got both!" His laughter didn't sound amused at all.

„Maybe it is enough in Gondor to look pretty, but in the Riddermark we appreciate it if a woman has brains, or at least shows courage. Which leads me to the question - what are you, except my personal pain in the ass?"

Something snapped inside of her. Never, in her whole life, had someone dared to speak to her like that. Tears and hurt forgotten, Lothiriel stood up and glared at her husband. Surprised by the hate her small body was radiating, he took a little step back.

„If I had known what an awful person you are, I never would have married you!" She shouted, in a strong and loud voice. Gamling looked as if he wanted to be anywhere else but here.

Then she took a deep breath to calm herself. Elbereth help, he had called her a pain in the ass! In front of the most important people of the Mark! She would never forgive him, but now, she needed to be reasonable.

„One does not send his king to battle. Not as long as there is no heir at home. Since I am still not pregnant, you will have to stay at home. Send an Eored, there is a raiding band of orcs, not an invasion! Please think clearly! If you die, the Riddermark probably divides into ten different fractions. After so many have died at the Black Gate we can't afford a civil war."

Eomers body was on fire. She criticized him every damn time! He didn't like the way she had said „we", either. Since when did she identify herself as a Rohirrim? She had been here for barely eight months.

An icy cold stare met him when he looked up. Lothiriel was not finished yet. She cast the idea of being reasonable aside. Her pride demanded her to hit him where it hurt the most. And she knew that he had feared she would think Rohan as a land full of barbarians.

„The Gondorian court may have its peculiarities, but a man would never humiliate his wife in public."

There! But it wasn't enough. Maybe if she said something about him personally?

"Fleeing from your marriage because you don't know how to handle a wife is no solution." The sad thing was, it was true. Eomer looked as if he wanted to strangle her. Suddenly Lothiriel was aware how wretched everything was and finally the tears began to roll down her face.

„And one more thing," she said between sobs. „If you come to my bed tonight, I can not guarantee that you will be able to father children in the future."

Oh no, that had been too much. With a turn she was gone. Through the silence they could hear her running towards the chambers, but she opened and closed the door carefully

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After a moment Eothain looked at Eomer, who was quite shocked.

„Well, you fucked it up, lad," he said bluntly.

Eomer looked at him, and understanding what he had said reached him slowly.

„Bema!"

The counsellors didn't look at him.

„We are finished for today!" Eomer barked.

The chamber was empty within seconds. Eothain stayed. He sighed and continued with a serious face.

"I doubt she will forgive you the way you treated her, not only today, but ever since she came here. If that's how you treat your wife, I feel deeply sorry for her. Well, you're the one who has to spend the rest of his life with her."

Eomer felt his stomach twist.

"Fuck."

"We really need an heir, however, and she knows that, so I wouldn't worry about your cock." Eothain reassured him. "For a chance, couldn't you think a little bit less about yourself and a little bit more about what your actions may cost you?" With these words, Eothain stood up at last, nodded to Eomer and left.

The king of Rohan sank back in his chair. Brooding, he took another gulp from his mead. Who would have thought that having a wife would be that excruciating? Eight months ago, it had all seemed so simple. Imrahil, prince of Dol Amroth and one of his best friends since the march to the Black Gate had offered him the hand of his daughter, together with a pretty huge dowry. Eomer, who had wanted to rebuild the Riddermark, took them gladly. But in hindsight, had there been hesitation in Imrahil? And why had the dowry been so generous? Maybe his old friend had been glad to finally get rid of his daughter, a girl who couldn't ride astride but spoke against him without even knowing what she was talking about ?

Eventually, Eomer put down his empty mug and headed to the royal quarters. He put his ear against the door, but it was quiet. He silently slipped inside just to grab a warm blanket. He could make out her shape in the bed, still shivering. Her back was turned to him, but he knew that she knew that he was here. Eomer retreated hastily and closed the door with a soft thud.

He left Meduseld through the back door. It was better to sleep in the stables than to wake the housekeeper and inform her about this whole misery. He had embarrassed himself enough for today. After all, Firefoot loved him unconditionally and wouldn't be a threat for his life or his cock, unlike his wife.

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A/N: I don´t own anything except my ideas. I hope you liked this first chapter!

Any Feedback is appreciated!


	2. Chapter 2

Lothiriel awoke. The bed felt cold next to her. Then she remembered their fight last night and she cursed, because cursing was better than crying. She had cried enough over that stupid donkey that was her husband. To face the truth, Lothiriel did not want to think about her words she had said last night either, especially the ones concering Eomer's genitals. She did not feel good about them now. Her anger had carried her away and had allowed them to slip from her lips. Eomer would not forgive her, for in his eyes she was already a spoilt, dumb and useless princess. But on the other hand, he had earned it with insulting her. A giant pain in the ass, indeed!

The argument left a bitter taste in her mouth. Her parents had had a happy marriage until her mother died, and she, only daughter of the House of Dol Amroth, wasn't even able to keep her husband satisfied for a single year. Not that she hadn't tried. He simply had never seen her, and she was tired of trying to get his attention. Her marriage was broken.

Lothiriel sat up. It was time to start the day, and she didn't want her husband to walk in when she still laid in bed. Her marriage was a disaster, it was true. But not all was lost yet. There were many unhappy marriages; she simply had to focus on something different. Well, she was Queen of the Riddermark now, wasn't she? And Lothiriel had a people she also was responsible for.

While Eomer didn't even seem to like her, Aethild, the housekeeper, the women of the household and surprisingly, a few of the riders had warmed up to her. Especially the cook had welcomed her with an open heart. And in response she felt more and more like she belonged here.

Rohan was beautiful, and the people were loud and kind and headstrong, exactly like Lothiriels brothers. The ocean of grass and the wind, the watchful Misty Mountains and the horses everywhere made Lothiriel feel free. Instead of being the odd one in Gondor she fitted in here. Lothiriel had found out that she preferred honesty and even bluntness to the Gondorian politics. Although, she had to add, no Gondorian husband would have ever dishonored her in the way Eomer had done last night. And to think that she had thought they would make a great couple!

In her new life she had three important tasks to fulfill: The first one, making Eomer happy, she could screw from the list. The second one, producing an heir, would prove difficult, but not impossible. People were always able to lie together as husband and wife, even if they didn't get along at all outside the bedchambers. The third one was being a good queen for her people.

And on that Lothiriel wanted to concentrate. The last months she had tried to look nice and do embroidery, because Aunt Ivriniel had always told her men liked modest and nice girls. Obviously that had been wrong. During her stay in Rohan Lothiriel had come to loathe the sight of needles and thread.

Lothiriel took feather and parchment and began to scribble down notes. She would have to increase her language lessons, because she still had difficulties when people didn´t speak Westron. Furthermore, she needed breeches. And riding lessons as well, because the Queen of the Riddermark ought to know how to ride astride. She had noticed Eomers looks when they had picked her up in Minas Tirith.

What Eomer didn't know was that she had taken over some of her domestic duties in Meduseld. Sometimes she felt satisfaction when he complimented someone on the nice new tapestries on the wall or the clean state of the hall without being aware that his useless wife was responsible for it. She had led the castle of Dol Amroth in the absence of her male relatives during the Ring War, so it had not been much of a challenge.

But deciding the menu was not enough anymore. If she truly wanted to lead Meduseld, she needed to know everything. Unfortunately Rohirrim rarely kept books on in- and outcomes. Since the councellors were about as forecoming as her husband, she had told herself that the running of the household completely was none of her business.

Well, she deciced it was her business now. Today she would speak with Aethild to investigate the food stores. She had a small leatherbound book, and Lothiriel intended to examine their supplies and write everything down. The days were already getting shorter, and Aethild had told her that soon there would be snow. The princess, who never had seen a single snowflake in her life, was excited. But winter also meant that she had to plan for long weeks locked in Meduseld when snow storms were raging outside, without food supply. And she had never experienced or planned this in her life, either.

When Lothiriel was ready for breakfast she could already hear Eomers heavy steps coming from the hall. Not wanting to confront him right now and equally ashamed and hurt by last night's events, she slipped out of their shared room in the Queen's chambers. She heard him opening the door.

"Lothiriel? Wife?" He asked in a loud voice.

On tiptoes she left through the other door and headed to the hall. Where had he spent the last night, anyway?

She took her seat next to her husband's throne and was promptly served what seemed to be enough to feed a hobbit. A few people greeted her when entering or leaving the hall. Cautiously Lothiriel watched the corridor which led to the royal chambers. When Eomer finally made it to the breakfast table, she felt her stomach knot. He would not be angry with her in front of his riders, would he?

He wore a bland expression on his handsome face and said "Good morning," without showing what he was thinking.

May the Valar help! Usually one could read every emotion in his face. Lothiriel felt tears sting in her eyes, so she bit her lip and nodded. During the meal she felt his overwhelming presence next to her, and what she imagined must be his looks.

Oh, she was so ashamed. Why had she not been able to get a grip on herself? He didn´t speak a word and she feared he despised her. Soon she left the table in order to search for Aethild.

A/N: Thank you, anthi35 and Catherine10!

Please let me know what you think.


	3. Chapter 3

Eomer didn't see his wife often these days. First he was glad, later he was annoyed, and now he was kind of worried. Two weeks had passed since their big argument. Although she hadn´t seemed much different at first, there definitely were changes. The eagerness in her voice had disappeared. She was polite, but cold. Or maybe "cold" was the wrong word… she didn´t want to impress him anymore.

It was surreal to find out what she had done for him without him even noticing: Bringing him ale, reaching over for the salt or the foodplate, polishing his helmet, rubbing his back, combing his hair and other small attentions, without ever being asked to do them. She had touched him frequently, he realised. She had laid her hand on top of his, smoothed out his tunic in the morning. She stopped it after that fatal night. When their eyes locked at the breakfast table, she answered the look with indifference.

Eomer had wanted to apologise after the night in the stables, not because he felt that he was wrong, but because he didn't want her to hate him. Being king was exhausting enough even without an angry wife. But when he had reached their chambers they had already been empty. When he met her at breakfast, she had greeted him with a nod and without a smile. They had not talked about it since.

When Eomer thought about it, they had not spoken a word to each other except for greetings at all. In the councils she was silent. But she seemed not intimidated, however. Lothiriel sat straight and it made Eomer feel uneasy because it remembered him of his misbehavings. To make matters even worse, his councellors had agreed to Lothiriels arguments and made him stay at home. Instead he had sent Eothain and a full Eored to get rid of the orcs.

But now the two of them had reached another low. Eomer frowned and looked on the piece of paper on the table. In her beautiful feminine handwriting it read:

"Will be out the whole day. Expect me when I am finished."

What kind of help was that anyway? He didn't know what she was doing all the time, and he didn't really want to know, but he knew she had banned her silly embroidery utensils from their chambers. So, when should he expect her to be finished?

Lunch came and went without a princess in sight. Eomer decided to work on his papers. When it was time for dinner he sat on his throne, but the place next to him was empty. His mood sank from minute to minute and he drank a bit more ale than usually.

Suddenly the doors burst open and his wife entered, accompanied by the housekeeper and two other women. Her hair was white, as was her face, and the brown dress showed imprints of her hands in white. They laughed about something and Lothiriels hair was tousled from the wind. Maybe it was the alcohol, but Eomer recognised that she had a really nice smile. Then her look fell on him and her face hardened.

She curtsied. "My Lord, I will be by your side in a few minutes. Allow me to refresh myself. I need to get the flour off my face and my clothes."

Stiffly he nodded and she left the room. He watched her back and the swing of her hips and also remembered that her waist was small and her breasts were soft. They hadn´t lain together as husband and wife for a while now. Without thinking he drained his mug. A maid refilled it instantly.

When she was back, dressed in a dark blue dress and as clean as a queen could be, he couldn´t keep his eyes from her. Why had he even started this stupid fight? The colour suited her and Eomer saw that she was beautiful.

It didn't matter if she spoke her mind from time to time. It didn't matter that she didn't seem to contribute to the household. All that mattered was that Lothiriel was his wife. His father had once said that against general belief, it was the husband´s duty to make his wife happy, and not the other way around. A good wife would thank him with love, but he never should take it for granted.

Lothiriel didn't know of his thoughts and acted carefully around him.

"Did you have fun with the women today? Your message was not completely clear on what you were doing." Eomer asked in an attempt to start a conversation.

Lothiriel looked up, surprised. Then her eyes narrowed.

"I had fun, thank you very much, my Lord." She turned her head and sipped on her drink. Eomer was taken aback by her reserved reply.

"I…" he started, then hesitated. Emptied his mug again.

"Don't concern yourself about my well-being." Lothiriel said coolly. "This is not a good time to start." She continued eating as if nothing had happened.

On this very evening Eomer began to understand that he had been a very poor husband indeed.

When the royal couple retreated to their rooms, Eomer tried to kiss Lothiriel. Her mouth was soft and she was such a small thing in his arms and he found himself not just a little aroused.

He caught her unaware, but after seconds she quickly escaped his hug. Then she wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her dress. That hurt. The look she gave him made him cringe.

"Eomer, you are drunk.", she said.

She went to undress herself and Eomer stood stupidly around for a few moments. Then he also began to undress and went to bed. The room spun a little. How much had he drunk? He cursed. She would think he was wanton. Well, he had been a few seconds ago, but now he was cooled down by her rejection and was able to think clearly again. Bema, he was such an orc! The door opened and Lothiriel joined him under the blankets, but with her back to him.

He stared on the ceiling while her breaths began to even. They really needed to talk about things.

A/N: Thank you, Eothiriel and anthi35!

Catherine10: as you may see, I altered the sentences you helpfully pointed out :) The first thing one reads in this fic should really match the characters. Thank you.

I don´t think it was a good idea that I started writing this now, because I really should spend every minute on fanfiction otherwise. However, fanfiction wins.

But I am not one to write big novels, as are so many other talented writers here, so this story will be rather short. Approximately 15 - 20 chapters.

Let me know what you think :)

HELLO SIMON!


	4. Chapter 4

Lothiriel woke up early the next day. Although she slowly got used to her new daily routine, her body reminded her that she had lifted far too many grain bags yesterday. Ouch. Oh, so very fun, Eomer. Every single muscle hurt. And she was tired.

She left the bed nevertheless and dressed in a cosy dark dress. Hopefully the seamstress would have finished her breeches today so that she could start with her riding lessons. It had taken all her courage to approach marshal Gamling, but he had been more understanding than expected and had ordered one of his riders to teach the young queen how to ride properly.

But first things first. Although Lothiriel had gained much time with quitting embroidery, she still had a tight schedule. She didn't understand why this skill was of such an importance in Gondor. If you wanted to make the stitches properly, you never got any actual work done! Maybe it was just a way to occupy the ladies so they wouldn't get silly ideas. Only in hindsight she could see how many hours she had wasted on handkerchiefs and tablecloths.

Lothiriel was thankful that breakfast and lunch weren´t a big affair in Meduseld. Dol Amroth had been very different, and every meal had needed planning for hours in advance. In Rohan however, only dinner was important. For breakfast the cook decided what was served, and the only demands for lunch were that it was hot and nourishing.

So she went down to the kitchens to meet with Aethild and the kitchen staff. They discussed the evening meal - should they wait for the hunting party to come home or slaughter one of the pigs? - and the progress of Lothiriel´s personal project, the stocktaking of Edoras. By now they were nearly finished, and first predictions could be made.

When Lothiriel and Aethild left the kitchen, the first light of day rose in the east. This early in the morning everything was quiet in Edoras, but you could feel that it wouldn´t last long. Eomer usually got up at dawn. Only the last two weeks Lothiriel had risen earlier than him.

Thinking about her husband, she wondered if he really would be up this early.

"Could you please send Elinde with some herbal tea to Eomer King´s quarters?", she asked Aethild.

The older woman raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"He was rather drunk last night, wasn´t he? He is lucky that he has someone to care for him." She called for the maid and gave orders.

Lothiriel cheeks were red. No, she didn´t care for him. She just didn't want him to be in a foul mood. And a hungover king was the last thing she wanted to deal with over her breakfast. At least that was what she told herself.

Eomer probably was angry with her, again. She shouldn't have rejected him. He knew, and Lothiriel knew, that Rohan needed an heir. Elbereth, she had only waited for him to reach out to her again!

But Lothiriel was a little bit angry too, and she didn't like to be used like this. She wasn't his… whore… he could bed whenever he felt the need! She would like to decide with him together.

But for this she probably should stop avoiding him.

Lothiriel grabbed a slice of bread from the breakfast table and went out the door in search for the seamstress. But her mind betrayed her. Eomer´s kiss had tasted like ale, but also a lot like him. And for a second she had allowed herself a dream where they hadn´t fought and her husband respected and loved her.

He had been … cute? Where had that come from? Eomer was big and muscular and handsome and his beautiful hair was wasted on a man´s head, but not cute! He had been too inebriated to think of political aspects, also. Suddenly Lothiriel felt warm. Then she remembered how she had pushed him away and the hurt in his eyes. Maybe she had destroyed her chance to find peace with him only because of her damaged pride.

The seamstress was a proud Rohirric woman - as if there existed anything else than a proud Rohirrim. Luckily, she was also proud to help the Queen of Rohan. Unlike the seamstresses in Gondor, she found nothing unusual in sewing breeches for a woman. She dressed Lothiriel and the cloth felt weird on her legs. And Lothiriel felt naked, because the form of her legs was accentuated instead of hidden. Aleofe gave her a long tunic, which helped somewhat.

"You look good.", the woman said while taking a step back. "Braid this dark hair of yours and you will look like a proper horsewoman."

"Except that I can´t ride.", Lothiriel said in her broken Rohirric.

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Eomer woke up slowly. The sun was already up. Words formed in his mind. Talk. Wife. Lothiriel. He reached to the other side of the bed. Her spot was already cold. She must have left a while ago. Damn that woman!

The king left his bed, careful not to move too hastily. His head pounded as if a band of orcs were throwing a party. Mead and ale shouldn't be mixed. He noticed a still steaming hot cup of tea on the table. Thank Bema for small mercies! Then he thought that he should probably thank his wife, too, because nobody had seen him being drunk except for her. Oh, that was nice of her. Next he remembered their kiss yesterday and groaned in embarassment.

Ah, there was a piece of paper. Eomer squinted his eyes to focus on the words.

"Dear husband, because of your complaints last evening" What complaints? "I will go more in detail about my plans for today. Depending on the progress we make, you will find me in the kitchens, at the breakfast table, at Aleofe´s, maybe in the stables, in the hall for lunch, in the food stores, the markets, in the kitchens again and in the hall for dinner. I wish you a good day. Lothiriel Queen."

Eomer let out a frustrated sigh. If he didn't want to chase after his wife the whole day, he would have to wait until evening for a proper talk. He read again. Unless she lied - and he didn't think it was the case, because his wife was a very truth-loving woman- her program was pretty full. Aleofe… he recognised the name. She was a seamstress down at the main street. So, Lothiriel wanted to buy a new dress. But with the other hints he was at a loss. What was she doing in the stables? As far as he recalled, she didn't even own a horse.

Eomer blew on the tea before he took a sip. Maybe when his head was fully functional again he would think about it. But now it bugged him more that she had written him another letter. Talk. They needed to sort things out. This was unacceptable.

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Thank you Eothiriel and catherine10, and also DD and... Guest :) You keep my spirits high^^

SLOWLY we approach the big talk - but it will take a little time.

If you see something - spelling mistakes, for example - or like it, please let me know.


	5. Chapter 5

When Lothiriel walked up the streets to the royal stables, she felt like everyone was staring at her. Of course that wasn't true. There were other women who wore shorter tunics than her and didn't feel ashamed at all. Still, Lothiriel needed all her willpower to let her arms hang casually at the side of her body. She would have liked to tug on her tunic so it would at least cover her knees. Get over yourself! She admonished her mind. They will think you a prude.

A tall woman was awaiting her at the forecourt of the stables.

"Lothiriel Queen! Marshal Gamling told me to instruct you in riding, is that correct?", she asked as she saw her approaching. Lothiriel nodded self consciously. She must look a sight! The woman bowed deeply.

"I am Waerhild, Lord Erkenbrand´s daughter. I am honored."

Lothiriel smiled weakly. "I am honored as well. I hope you are aware that I am a complete beginner. I didn't even ride much with sidesaddle back in Dol Amroth. The journey from Minas Tirith to Meduseld still gives me nightmares sometimes."

Waerhild looked as if she couldn't quite believe that someone didn't enjoy riding, but said nothing about it.

"Trust me.", she said simply. "We will make a great rider out of you. I bet once you try to ride in a proper saddle you won´t get enough of it."

Lothiriel kept her doubts to herself, but was willing to try it. When Waerhild brought the mare she was supposed to ride, Lothiriel nearly fainted.

"Absolutely not!", she exclaimed. "This is a riding lesson, not a suicide mission! This beast is far too… big!"

Waerhild couldn't keep a straight face and started laughing.

"Absolutely yes, Lothiriel Queen! This is a horse worthy of your status. I will not let you ride anything smaller. By the way, don´t you want to impress Eomer King when he first sees you on horseback?"

"Wait… what did you say?" Lothiriel took a small step back. "Don't you think Eomer King knows about my training?"

The horse was beautiful, she had to admit. And it was female, she saw. Her coat was of a deep and rich grey, and muscles twitched when she moved. Lothiriel took another step just for safety. This was not a mare for a nice lady. This was a battle horse. Everyone was saying that Eomer King´s mount was a beast and huge, but Lothiriel was sure that this one wasn't much smaller. In fact, she didn't even think that there was a way to get on the back of this giant. Suddenly Lothiriel felt very small.

"Don't be afraid." Waerhild said. She had stopped laughing and came to Lothiriel. "Am I allowed to touch you?"

Lothiriel nodded, confused. Waerhild gave her a push in the horse´s direction.

"Go ahead.", she said. "Get to know her. Her name is Finna."

Lothiriel thought that Finna didn't really fit to a horse like this.

"Yes, I know.", Waerhild smiled, who saw the queen´s expression. "When we named her we didn't expect her to grow that much. Here, have an apple. She loves them. Approach her slowly and hold out your hand. Then pet her." Lothiriel hesitated.

"Maybe I shouldn't …"

"Of course you should!", the blond woman exclaimed. Finna looked in their direction.

"I know Eomer King doesn't know about this, because if he knew he would have chosen your horse personally. At least I hope he would have. But I think this should stay our secret for a while." She whispered conspirationally. "I think you should stun him when he sees you."

Waerhild talked louder again. "Only of course if you set your bum into motion right now and go to that lovely horse. And, as I said before, don't be afraid. Finna may look like a brute, but she is a gentle soul. Big, yes, and fast if you want, but she is also content if you just walk her. Perfect for both a beginner and a Queen of Rohan."

Lothiriel was thankful for Waerhild. One of Gamling´s soldiers wouldn't have found the words to calm her. But this woman… Lothiriel trusted her. And so she set her bum into motion and went to the horse, fed her apples, touched the velvet mouth and head of the horse. Waerhild showed her what to do, and after an hour, Lothiriel finally felt relaxed enough to try to get on Finna´s back.

Waerhild brought a wooden block and told Finna to stand still. Lothiriel climbed on the back of the mount. Sweet Elbereth! To spread her legs like this! It felt so weird. And she wasn't even a virgin anymore. Slowly she began to understand why Rohirric women were so self-confident. After a few minutes she dared to look down.

"Help!" Lothiriel whispered. Finna moved her ears. "It is too high!"

Waerhild forbade her to get down again. She told a little story about slaying orcs to Finna and her rider until Lothiriel got used to the saddle and the height.

"Hold on." Lothiriel nearly fell down when Finna suddenly started to walk.

"You have a nice posture." Waerhild said. "Just relax."

"Try to wander through a castle with three books on your head.", Lothiriel mumbled. The woman on the ground laughed again.

"Never tried that.", she admitted. "But I am glad I didn't have to."

She led them in small circles and Lothiriel decided it wasn't half that bad. Finna. Such a lovely name. And she was a patient horse. After another hour Waerhild told Lothiriel to dismount. She helped the queen, but said that in the future Lothiriel should be able to do that alone.

"Of course, if there is a male near, he will come to your rescue and help you down. But I don't want you to depend on the presence of men or your husband, that is."

Lothiriel felt the same.

"That was wonderful, thank you."

"Do I understand it right that you want to become a passable or even good rider?", Waerhild asked. Lothiriel nodded.

"Then I will ask you to spend as much time as possible with Finna. Really, every minute is worth it. We will start with proper training tomorrow at dawn and will ride for about three hours. It depends on how much time you can spend, for a Queen surely has a lot to do, but if you can make it another hour before sunset it would do well for both of you. I don't think it will take long for you to adapt to riding astride. You were frightened today, but you weren´t stiff and your posture was nearly perfect. I didn't even have to correct you."

Lothiriel reddened at the unexpected praise. "Thank you. I enjoyed it when I didn't think I would."

Then she said goodbye to Finna and Waerhild, who stayed to instruct the stable boy, and made her way up to Meduseld. But suddenly a thought struck her. The Rohirrim was right.

She wanted this to be a surprise for Eomer. But that meant he mustn´t see her. Lothiriel changed her way and headed to the kitchen entrance.

* - o - *

The cook scowled when she saw a rider entering the kitchen against the sunlight, but a smile lit up her face when she recognised Lothiriel.

"My Queen! I didn't realise it was you! I have never seen you in-"

"Shh!" Lothiriel interrupted. "Please, it is a secret. Could you please look if Eomer King is in the hall?"

The cook nodded without further questions. After a few moments she was back.

"He just returned from the city. Quickly now, leave the kitchen and I will feed him. Men are so easily distracted."

Lothiriel scurried to their chambers without being seen. There she changed her clothes and hid her new breeches in her drawer. Suddenly she was feeling very tired. And to think that it wasn't even noon! After lunch, she needed to go down to the food stores. There was only one room left to inspect, and then they would finally be finished! She hadn´t thought that counting every bag of potatoes and grain and flour and corn would take that long. But she had underestimated the size of the household of Meduseld.

And then, as if she wasn't exhausted already, her language lessons waited for her.

* - o - *

Lothiriel straightened her shoulders. Before everything else, she had to face her husband. She left for the hall and joined him at the high table.

"How are you, my Lord?", she asked without thinking, her head still on her chores and Finna. Because she was busy sitting down and sorting her skirts, she didn't see Eomer´s dumbstruck expression. Slowly he put the fork back down and looked at her.

"I am well, thank you, my Lady. And thank you for the tea. It saved my life.", he added.

Was that a smile on her face? He must be dreaming! And here he had thought she would scold him because of the kiss. Ah, the kiss. He probably should apologise.

Lothiriel also was positively surprised by his easy manner today.

"And I am sorry if I took advantage of you yesterday when I should have left you alone." Eomer looked contrite.

Lothiriel´s mouth gaped open.

Now it was Eomer´s turn to smile.

"You don't have to-" she started and blushed, but her husband wouldn't let her finish.

"And I know that your schedule is tight today because you had the grace to write me another loveletter. As is mine, but I would really appreciate it if you had the time to walk with me in the gardens after dinner."

Before she could respond, Eomer had left the table.

Oh, how she loved that man.

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A/N: The first riding lesson! hope you enjoyed it. Next time, a walk in the garden.

Thanks anthi35 and catherine10 :)

Have a nice wednesday.

I own nothing, just in case I didn´t mention it earlier.


	6. Chapter 6

Lothiriel was both more than a little nervous and exhausted when she entered Meduseld for dinner. She admired all Rohirric horsemen a bit more. The clinging to Finna, although it hadn´t been longer than for an hour, had cost her energy.

But it was also a content exhaustion. She knew her way all over Meduseld now. She knew every chamber, every broom closet and every cupboard. Lothiriel clutched the small book close to her chest. The entire work Aethild, Ronilda, Geirhildir and Lothiriel had accomplished in the last two weeks was documented on these pages. She would protect it with her life.

But it had also shown her that there was reason to worry. Maybe that caused Eomer´s bad moods, and why he looked so worn out from time to time. He did worry a lot.

Although the people of Meduseld would not starve, there were not enough supplies to feed additional mouths. This could become a problem in the winter. Small bands of orcs still raided the Riddermark and plagued small villages which were even harder to reach and protect during the cold months when snow lay. People who lost their home would come to Edoras to seek for help. Naturally, Edoras was always open for refugees; that was the way of the Rohirrim. But if there was enough food for them was another question. Lothiriel had to think about this.

Not now, however. Three hours of learning the vocabulary and grammar of Rohirric had left her thoughts slow and her head heavy. But despite her weariness she felt a tingle in her belly. Eomer never had been far in her thoughts during the whole afternoon.

Maybe he just wanted to tell her off. But on the other hand, he hadn´t seemed to be mad at her at lunch.

Lothiriel was ready to admit mistakes on her part. She had been too scared to face her own husband. It had resulted in writing him letters - Elbereth, how immature could one person be?! Sometimes she felt like a child who couldn't be taken seriously next to him.

She didn't want to live in Eomer´s corners anymore, leaving the room when he entered and keeping her mouth shut when he was around. She desperatetly wanted him not to look down on her. Months of side glances and frowns had not helped to push her self-confidence.

Anyways, besides her childish reasons, she needed to speak to him because of Meduselds food stockings.

Lothiriel let herself fall down on the chair next to him.

"I do have time after dinner.", she said. "I would love to wander through the garden with you."

Eomer, the King of Rohan, looked up from his ale.

"Then I will restrict my alcohol consumption to this mug of ale today.", he said.

Was that a joke? Lothiriel was unsure. Then she caught the sparkle in his eyes and smiled relieved. No telling off, then.

They sat in silence for a while, both brooding on things to say.

Lothiriel was so edgy she wasn't hungry at all. She nibbled on a freshly baked bun and stared at the table. The cook had really outdone herself. The pork was excellent, but Lothiriel couldn't bring herself to eat more than a few bites.

When she felt a hand on her arm she startled.

Eomer just raised an eyebrow.

"I think now is as good as any other time," he said. Lothiriel nodded and stood up, her stomach twisting.

They left through the side door and Lothiriel noticed a curious look on the face of one of her husbands´ marshals. Elfhelm, she remembered, was his name. According to Eomer, he was a good friend and advisor.

The fresh air lifted Lothiriel´s spirits and she inhaled deeply. Then she started at the same time as Eomer.

"We need to talk!"

He stopped and smirked at her. Then he offered her his arm. She laid her hand softly on it. When had she last touched him?

"You start.", he said. Together they strolled trough the dark paths of the garden. Somehow, the darkness made everything easier.

"I am sorry I pushed you away last night.", Lothiriel began. Then she paused because she was unsure on how to broach the subject.

"That is pretty much the only thing you should not apologise for. I was drunk." Eomer muttered.

"No!" she exclaimed. "I hurt you. I wiped my sleeve."

Eomer stiffened.

"I shouldn't have done that.", she said in a miserable voice.

"It was cruel and unnecessary. As if you would bed me when I said no!"

"I don´t have to fear that you think me capable of such a thing?", he asked in a light tone, but it came out tenser than she liked.

"No! Of course not. After all, you´re still my husband."

Eomer visibly relaxed.

"You are forgiven.", he said quietly. "Just… forget it."

For a moment they were silent. Lothiriel found his body language told her far more than his actual words. Then she continued.

"I am also sorry that I avoided you for so long."

There. It was out. Now she only needed to continue. Oh, she wanted to disappear.

"I should have tried to talk to you. But I was afraid you… would still hate me when I am finished. I am still afraid, that is. That you would think my problems are petty and I am no proper Rohirrim, or not worthy to be your queen. So writing was the easist way. I am sorry I never told you what I was up to, even before that awful night. I am sorry I criticised you at council in such a plump way instead of well, just talking to you in private. You are not an awful person. I wanted to tell you that the next day, but I never found the courage."

Lothiriel took a shuddering breath. Suddenly she realised that she was crying. She braced herself for the worst part.

"I am sorry I threatened you with harming your… genitals. Really sorry. My mouth flew away with me. Everything was so terrible and I was hurt and you must believe me, I´m usually not the one to swear or say such things. I understand if what I said is unforgivable."

She didn't look up and wiped the tears away, using the sleeve of her dress.

She heard a snort and then Eomer´s arms were around her. Lothiriel hiccuped and buried her face in his chest. Damn her dignity, she had just said the most embarassing things and was only glad that it finally was out.

He awkwardly patted her back, but then he started to draw circles with his hands and that was much better. Lothiriel started to relax, but the tears were still flowing.

Oh, she really should stop crying. Eomer hadn´t even talked twenty words and she was already a sobbing heap of a queen! But he felt so good. She didn't want to leave his embrace.

Eventually Lothiriel decided to ignore her body and raised her head.

"Sweet Elbereth, I am sorry again, for slobbering all over your shirt."

There was no possible way she could have embarassed herself more.

Now Eomer actually chuckled, but went serious again immediately. However, he didn't loose his grip on her.

"I said some pretty unforgivable things, too.", he murmured in her ear.

"Words that make your outburst understandable. You are certainly not a pain in the ass."

Pressed to his chest, Lothiriel still tried to hit him. Hearing him, speaking it out loud again, hurt like it had the first time.

"No, you´re not." He repeated.

"You´re my queen and you deserve to be treated as such, especially by me. I never, ever should have spoken to you like that, and never ever in front of my advisors."

She nodded.

"I don't think there was any logical thought inside me that day. I was worried and my pride was hurt and, well, no, I will not say that. But I started thinking afterwards. There is no way you could do embroidery all day long! It didn't fit with the way you held yourself. Please tell me you did something useful all along."

Lothiriel didn't feel like bragging right now. Right now she wanted to be comforted and told that everything was alright.

"Well, yes." She said hesitantly when the silence grew too heavy.

She heard him exhale.

"I knew it."

"But well, even if you had done nothing all day long… I was wrong. And I see it now."

Lothiriel felt like a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders. Still, there was something.

"So… you do not despise me?" she asked, hating herself for her insecurity.

"No!", Eomer nearly spat out. Then he sacked against her. Oh, she was so thankful that there was no moon tonight.

"I try to be honest with you.", he said.

Lothiriel shielded her thoughts and prepared for the worst. She struggled to free herself from his arms, intending to stand on her own when he would swing deadly words at her head. But he only drew her closer, so close she actually had troubles with breathing.

"My Lord!", she croaked, and he released her instantly. Suddenly, the night air was cold on her shoulders.

"I am sorry.", he said. "You´re so small, I forgot it."

She acknowledged his apology with a nod.

"When I married you, I didn't really think about the two of us together."

That stung. She had thought about it a lot of before signing the contract.

"I thought about your dowry, with which I could rebuild the Riddermark, and an heir who would secure my line."

Oh Eomer. She couldn't bring herself to be mad at him. His first care was always for his people, and he was first and foremost king.

"And your father Imrahil mentioned to me that you are beautiful. So I said yes."

There was a pause.

"And then you came."

"I don't think I want to hear it." Lothiriel said. Even in her ears it sounded pathetic.

"No. You deserve the truth, and we deserve to speak honestly with each other."

He didn't give her a chance to speak.

"I didn't think much about spending my life with you. But there you were, a princess from Gondor, when all I had to offer was a war beaten country with a moiety of the luxury you were used to. You couldn't ride. You couldn't speak Rohirric."

"I am working on it.", Lothiriel said quietly.

"I know.", Eomer said. "You speak much better now. However, I had my head full with other things then. Burying my uncle, losing my sister to Faramir, housing the refugees, and you were still there after our wedding night and seemed to expect a romance I wasn't able to give."

"I think I fell in love with you, a litte bit. In our wedding night."

It was extremely hard to speak it out loud. Eomer´s eyes widened.

"What?"

"Well, yes." Lothiriel explained. "It is not easy to leave everything you know for an unknown future in an unknown land. I needed something to hold on to. And you were there. You were… considerate. You looked so dangerous when I first laid my eyes on you that I didn't expect you to be that tender with me. Yes, you were good to me that night.", she confirmed at his incredulous look.

"But then it hurt even more when you started to ignore me afterwards. And I couldn't get your attention back, not in any way I have been taught to get the attention of a noble man in Gondor. You didn't ask for a modest girl, but you didn't want my advice either, so I was at a loss. I kind of understand that you werent´t interested in my embroidery, I never had a knack for it."

"I am sorry." Eomer said.

"It lies in the past.", Lothiriel tried to sound indifferent.

"Still… had I known…"

"Even if you had known, you wouldn´t have been able to court me. As you said, you were busy ruling the country.", Lothiriel said firmly.

"I had the wrong expectations and it only brought me grief, but it was my fault all alone."

They were silent for a moment and Lothiriel feared she had revealed too much.

"Are you cold?" Eomer suddenly asked. He had noticed her shivering.

"You could come under my cloak. That is, if you want." He paused.

"Oh forget it, you can have the cloak without me."

He sounded so unsure Lothiriel had to smile despite the tears in her eyes.

"No, it is alright.", Lothiriel said. She came nearer and again he took her in his embrace.

That he had wanted to touch her had been, of course, not the reason for his offer.

She sighed and melted into his embrace. There were many unsolved things. But for the first time in months, she nearly felt content next to him. His hard and warm body held her safe.

"I promise," Eomer said quietly in her ear, and it sent shivers down her spine. "that I will try to get to know you. I can´t undo what has been done, but I can try for a better future. And I certainly don't hate you, Lothiriel."

His words were like kisses on her soul.

"I am so done.", Lothiriel sighed. "You are very comfortable. I could sleep here and now."

Without warning, he scooped her up in his arms. Lothiriel squealed in surprise.

"Hush, wife! We are going to bed."

Lothiriel tried to remember things she had wanted to tell him, but the day had already been too long and had drained her physically and emotically. So when Eomer laid her on the bed and left to undress, she was already half asleep by the time he came back.

"Sleep, my queen." He breathed and planted a soft kiss on her mouth. Or had she just imagined that?

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So, we round that wonderful weekend off with a new chapter. It was a long one with some big revelations. What do you think? Oh, I love them so much!

thank you coecoe11, Catherine10, Eothiriel, nosmaeth and Linwe!


	7. Chapter 7

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He woke up to the sight of Lothiriel watching him. She was already dressed and sat by the table, playing with a writing feather in her hands.

When she saw that he was awake, she shot a shy smile at him. Eomer´s breath caught in his throat. Bema, she was gorgeous. Her legs dangled lazily from the chair and he could see her naked calves.

"I have to go.", she said. "I have an appointment."

Eomer didn't want to be cautious right now. If she didn't want to tell him, so be it.

"Come here.", he simply said. Lothiriel shook her head and he sighed.

"It´s a surprise for you.", she said hesitantly. "I don't want you to think that I keep secrets from you. You just have to ask."

After a second, Eomer shook his head.

"However, we need to talk-" he stiffened. Like every married man he was wary when those words fell.

"about Edoras and the food stockings. I was just pondering if I should write you a letter again, but thought you wouldn't appreciate it. So I waited for you to wake up. When is it convenient for you? I really should get going."

Now Eomer was bewildered, but answered nevertheless.

"I think after lunch would be a good time.-", he said.

"Thank you." Lothiriel stood up. "I wish you a nice day, my Lord."

When she reached the door, she paused. Eomer watched silently as she came back to him and bent down. He tried not to breathe too loud.

Her lips were as soft as he recalled. Sweet and tender, it was just an excuse for a proper kiss. He had no intention of letting her go, though. So he brought his arms up and around her body.

"Uff." She said as she fell on him. "I…" His mouth covered hers again immediately and he pressed her closer to him. Lothiriel gasped but responded and he deepened the kiss. Her mouth was hot and their tongues fought, and he was glad that she had come back. His hands caressed her back down to her lovely bum and up again. He pulled her around so that she was lying underneath him, her breath ragged and eyes closed.

When she opened her eyes, they shone. Her lips were a bit swollen, and only when she gazed up at him with an unreadable expression, he was aware that he was, in fact, naked.

Lothiriel slowly lifted her hand and laid it on his face. Her fingertips explored his brows, cheeks and beard. She let her hand wander through his hair and to his neck. Then she pulled him down again. Oh, yes. He liked that. His hand lay on her left breast and a little movement made her make wonderful noises. A few moments of heat later, the first light of dawn entered their room.

"Elbereth, I am late!", Lothiriel exclaimed from somewhere under him. He growled. "I am the king, I am sure whoever awaits you will be indulgent." He put his bodyweight on her and her eyes widened when she felt a bulge pressing against her hips. She left a shuddering breath out.

"I am sorry.", she whispered then and wriggled her way out, which didn't exactly help his condition. She grabbed a few things from her drawer and was gone within a heartbeat.

Eomer fell back on the bed with a groan. This woman was driving him crazy.

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Lothiriel walked fast, because queens didn't run as a matter of principle. When she reached the main kitchen, the meeting was already breaking up. Aethild saw her and came towards her.

"Lothiriel Queen! Is something amiss?" Lothiriel shook her head.

"No, I just had to sort a few things out with Eomer King." Lothiriel tried hard not to blush, but suspected Aethild saw her swollen lips and drew her own conclusions. The housekeeper smiled and didn´t probe any deeper.

"Don't stress yourself, my Queen.", she said. "There is no pressing matter today. If you would be able to meet me in the kitchens after your riding lesson we could talk about the evening."

Lothiriel was perplexed. "Yes, of course. How do you know?"

Aethild winked at her.

"I fear that by now every servant knows. The cook was glad to spread the gossip that you are to become a rider. Just don't concern yourself, the King won´t hear a word. Most enjoy this little game. You can trust us."

Lothiriel closed her mouth and decided to accept it. She hadn´t expected to get so much attention. Maybe that had been ignorant. She was Eomer´s wife, of course people found interest in her personal life.

"Can I change somewhere?", she asked, indicating at the riding clothes in her hands.

She was shown a cupboard at the end of the room, which of course wasn't new to Lothiriel. Beans were stored here. Quickly she put on the breeches and the tunic.

Then she left for the stables.

Waerhild already waited for her, Finna standing next to her. Again Lothiriel was intimidated by the sheer largness of the horse. Yet Finna came to her trustingly and soon Lothiriel was stroking her velvet coat.

Lothiriel apologised for being late again. This Rohirric woman wasn't as forbearing as Aethild.

"I was starting to wonder if you would show up.", Waerhild said. "If you don't take it seriously, we can leave it."

Lothiriel considered taking her words as an offense, but Waerhild´s eyes showed no ire, so she let it be. With Eomer she had experienced how depressing holding a grudge could be.

"No.", she answered. "I will try to be on time in the future." As she didn't want everybody to know about her love life, Lothiriel forwent telling Waerhild the reason why she had been late.

Waerhild studied her for a few seconds. Then she smiled.

"It´s alright. We will start where we stopped yesterday. I will lead you in circles and you will try to get used to Finna. Then you will ride on your own. And I expect you to mount and dismount on your own as well."

Lothiriel nodded. Mounting Finna was done easily enough. Only a short time later when Waerhild walked the horse, Lothiriel realised that she actually enjoyed riding and the challenge it provided for her.

Three hours of riding, a conversation with Aethild and a visit to the market later it was time for lunch. Time flew by when one was busy, Lothiriel mused. In that aspect the quarrel with Eomer had done her good. Where she had been afraid of stepping out of line or acting unseemly and therefore had hidden in her chambers most of the time before, the fight with Eomer had given her too much to think about to care about propriety. And it seemed that the Rohirrim expected their queen to be active. Once again, Lothiriel was glad for her new people, who allowed her a lot more freedom than she would have been given in Gondor.

Riding astride, for example: Her father would be appalled when he found out. Strangely, Lothiriel looked forward to his reaction. Oh my, she was on the best way to become a true Rohirrim!

When Lothiriel entered the hall and joined her husband at the table, he greeted her with a friendly grunt while chewing on his meat. Lothiriel sat down next to him and waited for her food to be served. After some minutes of awkward silence she said:

"I hope you had a fine morning, my Lord."

He swallowed and flashed a grin at her.

"I did. I must say, being kissed awake by an attractive woman makes a good morning even better."

Lothiriel blushed. How could he joke like this without being embarassed? She didn't know what to say, reflecting that they never had spoken much to each other, and therefore tried it with honesty. In Rohan this had to be the best strategy to address things, she decided.

"I am not used to your banter, my Lord.", she said with a helpless shrug. "I am afraid I will not be in the near future. It is overwhelming for me to be spoken to like this. Is this how you normally speak to your friends?"

His brows furrowed and he turned his head away. Promptly Lothiriel regretted to have spoken in this way. He may look cheerful on the outside, but she knew that heavy thoughts always troubled his mind.

"I am sorry.", she said carefully. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"It´s not your fault.", Eomer said. "I forgot how I treated you. That you are… overwhelmed by my jesting after eight months of marriage just shows very painfully that I failed you as a husband."

Lothiriel held her breath. That conversation had again escalated from a simple greeting to a far more serious topic, their marriage.

"I didn't say I would never get used to it.", she said.

Then she reached out to touch his hand. The look of astonishment he gave her made her heart flutter. It was the first time she had touched him of her own accord for more than two weeks, except for the kiss in the morning, of course. But this time she showed affection for her husband in the great hall of Meduseld, in plain sight for everyone. It meant a lot.

"There are many things we have to talk about and we will find out about ourselves.", she said quietly.

"For now, I am happy that you see me as an equal. I have to admit that I am still hurt by your words, although I know you didn't mean them, and although you apologised. I don't want you to do anything than to give us time. I want to be able to trust you again. Please don't feel bad about things that happened. I just want you to be yourself, as I will be true to myself. I swear I will do my best to be the queen you need and deserve, and a wife you can respect."

She took her hand back. Eomer was stunned.

"I am a fool", he said. "to never have seen your strength when it was right before my eyes."

Lothiriel blushed again. It was certainly easier to speak openly about her thoughts than having to deal with his reactions. Get a grip on yourself, girl! She scolded her stupid body. Just because he is nice to you doesn't mean you should fall in love with him!

Someone coughed behind them. They hadn´t even heard marshal Elfhelm approach.

Eomer gave her a quick squeeze, then turned his attention to the intruder. Lothiriel continued eating, but listened what her husband´s marshal had to say.

"Eomer King, one of my scouts returned a few minutes ago. He reports that marshal Eothain and his eored are on their way home. He presumes that they will reach Edoras tomorrow afternoon, for their travel is slowed down by the wounded. Eothain says that nobody died, but all orcs were slain. Some riders have lacerations and broken bones, but nothing that will not heal."

Eomer nodded, his face grim.

"Bring your scout to the council chambers. I want to hear what he has to tell me." Then he looked at his meal.

"I was finished anyway."

Lothiriel didn't remind him that the two of them had settled a meeting after lunch, but Eomer remembered.

"I am sorry, Lothiriel.", he said. "Our talk will have to wait. Maybe, if this doesn't take long…"

"It´s alright, my Lord.", she said. The more she thought about the situation, the more she realised that a lot of work waited for her and the women, too. About eighty beds and enough food would have to be prepared, the healers alarmed and linens boilt for the bandaging of the wounds.

"I will prepare everything for their arrival."

Lothiriel stood up and curtsied before her husband and his marshal, then hurried off to find Aethild and bring her the news.

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It took a little longer this time, but thank you for waiting :)

I hope you like the new chapter. The mending starts. Also, the rating went up, in preparation for later chapters.

I don´t own middle earth (OH, REALLY?).


	8. Chapter 8

Despite the circumstances Lothiriel went to her riding lesson the next morning. For the first time, they left Edoras. They rode around the city and one time Finna even broke into a canter. It left Lothiriel excited and out of breath. The riding distracted Lothiriel from her concerns related to the fast approaching winter, the preparations for the arriving eored and Eomer. Recently that man was always on her mind. However, the wind in her hair, the blue sky above and green grass below her helped Lothiriel to find peace. Finna reacted to her commands as if she knew them beforehand. Although they were in Rohirric, Lothiriel had little problems with the pronunciation of the words. Sooner than expected Waerhild led them back to the stables.

Unlike the other mornings when a stable boy had cared for her mount, Waerhild made Lothiriel rub down and clean the hooves of the horse herself.

"You have to learn how to look after your steed.", she said.

In Gondor a queen would never have to work like this, Lothiriel mused. In fact, even the lowest noble woman would abhor the idea of getting her hands dirty. She really had been lucky to marry Eomer instead of this particular Gondorian lord who had been far too full of himself. While stroking Finna´s coat in an even rhythm, Lothiriel asked Waerhild something that had been in the back of her mind for a while now.

"I don't want to seem rude, but marshal Gamling told me he would send a soldier to teach me how to ride properly. How comes that you are the one to help me?"

Waerhild stopped grooming her horse.

"Well, I AM a rider.", she said. "I was trained as a shieldmaiden all my life."

Oh. Lothiriel was abashed. It made a lot of sense. It explained why Waerhild wasn't married and therefore didn't have a husband and children to look after. It also explained her athletic figure. Lothiriel suspected that Waerhild would be deadly when equipped with the right weapon. However, apart from her husband´s sister, Waerhild was the first shieldmaiden Lothiriel encountered. Her interest awakened.

"When did you choose to become a rider? Did you fight against orcs?", she asked.

Waerhild raised her eyebrows but answered nevertheless.

"I fought against orcs a lot. But you could ask that question to nearly everyone in the Riddermark and get a positive answer. As for becoming a rider…"

"I always trained with my brother, because it was fun.", Waerhild said.

"That´s how it started. It was good for him as well, because we were equal in skill. I was his favorite sparring partner."

Her face became sad and she continued brushing her horse.

"My brother fell at the battle at Helm´s Deep. I didn't want to stay there after all the pain and death, so I accompanied my father as far as Dunharrow and then returned to Edoras. Many good riders of the Mark gave their lives at the Pelennor fields and the Black Gate and didn't come back."

"I didn't exactly plan to become a rider, but traditionally one of the Lord of the Hornburg´s sons serves in the King´s Guard. Since my father stayed at the King´s side after the war and my older brother resides at the Hornburg, I came to fulfill the position."

So Waerhild stood in for her dead brother. Lothiriel had a knot in her throat. The shieldmaiden reminded her that not every family had lived through the war as unscathed as hers. While all three of her brothers had survived, many had not been that lucky. Of course she had known that the people of Rohan had suffered, but she hadn´t been aware of all the losses the Rohirrim had borne. Eomer´s desire to rebuild the Mark was even more comprehensible.

She placed a hand on Waerhild´s shoulders.

"I am sorry.", she said sympathetically. "It must have been hard for you."

Waerhild straightened her posture again.

"One lives on. I loved him, but he died defending our people, and thus died a hero."

They finished grooming the horses in silence.

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Later Lothiriel went with Geirhildir and a few women of the household down to the baracks, which were located at the foot of the hill. While marshal Eothain owned a house in Edoras, most of his riders hailed from the Wold. When everything was settled between the marshal and Eomer, they would return to their station. In the meantime, they would stay at Edoras.

Most of Eomer´s riders had homes in Edoras or Aldburg. Consequently, the barracks were empty most of the time. Although there was an old soldier responsible for them, Lothiriel suspected that he wasn´t able to prepare everything needed for so many soldiers within a day. Not to mention that changing beddings and making a room habitable was essentially women´s work. Tomorrow, she would ask Aethild about this. The military was subordinated to the King of Rohan. That would mean that the royal household was also responsible for the housing of the riders who weren´t stationed at Edoras when they came to the capital, but she had no clue who had organised this in the last few months.

Hergrim was delighted to see them. He proudly showed them around, and Lothiriel didn't let him see that she was shocked by the dirty state the houses were in. Cobwebs were hanging from the ceiling, the windows were dark with grime and the floor looked as if it consisted only of stamped soil. Lothiriel saw the same feeling in the other women´s eyes.

"Tell Aethild that we need assistance. She is to send everyone she can go without.", Lothiriel whispered to Ronilda. The girl nodded and left the room.

Fortunately the healing tract was in a better condition. At least the beds were clean and the floor was tiled. Geirhildir nodded in appreciation. In the cupboards were jars filled with dried herbs and bottles with pure alcohol to cleanse the wounds.

After Hergrim finished the tour, he left them on their own. Geirhildir sighed.

"There is no use in trying to delay the unavoidable. We will have to clean this rat hole first."

"Bema!", she swore under her breath when her arm accidentally touched the wall. She looked at the dirt in disgust.

They went in search for brooms and buckets and started cleaning.

After a few hours Lothiriel remembered that she would have had language lessons. And lunch, they had skipped lunch! Her stomach growled. For a moment she thought about leaving. She was the queen; she didn't need to justify her actions. However, they had only just finished cleaning the rooms they had de decided to make free of dirt, and finally began with changing the linens. Lothiriel imagined it wouldn't be fair to let the other women work while she went for a snack.

"Riders! Riders approaching!", a voice shouted in the streets.

Lothiriel breathed a sigh of relief. Eothain´s arrival meant the end of the work. They had done as much as possible in the short time, and the lodgings looked distinctly better now.

She put her broom aside and headed up to the nearest healer, alarmed her, then went to Meduseld and Eomer to perform her royal duties. He greeted her with a smile. Lothiriel blushed. Their peace still felt so fresh. This morning she had woken up nearer to him than she usually slept. Even her subconscious mind warmed up to him, she realised. That wasn´t good.

Together they were standing at the entrance of the hall when the riders came.

It was not a triumphal entry. Well, of course the men looked proud and were quite a sight, Rohan warriors were always impressive. But Lothiriel could see that the riders were exhausted and held themselves straight only with pure will power, and many were bleeding.

Her heart ached when confronted with the sight. She hoped that marshal Elfhelm´s report had been correct and nobody was lethally wounded. The dirty state the men were in made it hard to distinguish between where the mud ended and where the blood began. Even an infected scratch could cause death, however.

As soon as the formalities were over and Eomer had retreated with marshal Eothain to the council chambers, Lothiriel went down to the barracks again. This time they were full to bursting with people. Soldiers, glad to finally get a dry place to sleep, greeted her on the way to the healing tract.

The smell of cankerous wounds and blood greeted her when she entered the room. The eored had been on the road for days after the battle. For a moment Lothiriel feared that she wouldn't be able to control her gag reflex. Four healers were bustling through the loud mass of unwashed, dirty men. Lothiriel grabbed a bucket of water and a sponge and approached the next rider. He was sitting on the floor, his back leant against the wall, and his shirt was ripped off and showed an encrusted cut in his torso.

"May I help?", she asked.

The man nodded and groaned. Lothiriel took it as a confirmation and started to clean the wound. Sometimes the man flinched in response to her touches. Soon her hands were covered in blood, but her belly didn´t feel like being turned upside down anymore. Her mind was in a detached state. Either she was getting used to the red liquid forming puddles on the floor or she was in shock. Lothiriel never had seen so much blood in her life. A hollow cloud filled her mind. She noticed that she probably needed new water when her hand towel was red from wiping her hands on it.

Lothiriel didn't notice how time flew by. At one time they started using candles because the light of day faded away. When the most dangerous wounds were attended, she organised the sleeping arrangements and spoke with Hergrim to make sure there would be breakfast provided the next day.

Her movements were getting clumsier and her stomach was already eating itself when a Young blonde boy came to her.

"I have a message for Lothiriel Queen.", he said.

"Please give it to me.", she said while squeezing the sponge in the pink water. For a moment she stared in the bowl, then quickly pulled herself together. She dried her hands off on the towel and reached out for the letter. It came to no surprise to her that her husband had been the addresser. The boy bowed and left quickly.

Lothiriel broke the royal seal and read the words. Eomer had scribbled them down hastily and there was a smudge at the end of the paper.

"Lothiriel,

I assume that you have been busy until now.  
My meeting with Eothain has concluded. I ask you to join me in our chambers.

Eomer"

Lothiriel´s already heated head flamed red. Thank the Valar that nobody else had read these lines! An invitation to her bedchambers by her own husband was the last thing Lothiriel wanted the staff to talk about.

Looking around, she noticed that Geirhildir had the situation perfectly under control.

She went to her friend.

"I will retreat for the night. Call for Aethild if you need something."

Geirhildir looked up and smiled tiredly.

"It´s alright, Lothiriel Queen. There is little else to do. I will stay until everything is settled and then will call it a night myself. Sleep well, my Queen. "

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Nothing better than a Monday evening update! Little of Eomer here, but he will be back in chapter 9...

Thank you Eothiriel and ctgirl92! :)

Reviews are appreciated.


	9. Chapter 9

On the way to Meduseld Lothiriel was thankful for the strong wind. The cold air cleared her mind and banned the numbness from her body. After the madness of the day she enjoyed the absolute silence, and it helped her to collect her thoughts.

Before entering the hall, she stood on the stairs and looked up to the stars. They were bright and shone a pale light on Edoras and the sea of grass surrounding it. A shooting star caught Lothiriel´s attention and she sucked her breath in. It was the first one she had seen in her new home since coming here. She clenched her fists and closed her eyes, one never was to old to believe in the power of fate. Her day had been exhausting, and Lothiriel felt very emotional. Then she turned around sharply, nodded to the guards and entered the hall.

The royal chambers were warm and cosy. In the fireplace the flames made dizzling noises and created a homey atmosphere. Lothiriel noticed that for the first time, entering the chambers truly felt like coming home. The realisation struck her by surprise and she stood in the doorway, absorbing the feeling.

Eomer put his mug aside and stood up to greet her. Lothiriel smiled nervously. Then she became aware of the state her dress was in. And not just her dress! Her hands and face were dirty as well. That meant, full with blood. With the back of her hands she tried to hide her flushed cheeks.

Eomer gently pulled her hands down.

"Should I tell Aethild to prepare a bath for you?", he asked.

Now there was no chance she would be able to hide the red on her cheeks. He had asked with care in his voice and it warmed her heart. In the same moment she remembered that the hands which still held her own had been everywhere on her body. One did bathe naked. And he had seen her naked. True, it had been a while. She really should calm down. Just because she had kissed him didn't mean he wanted her!

"That would be nice.", she said. Oh my, she was way too tired to even think about this.

Eomer rang for a maid and gave her the orders. Meanwhile Lothiriel sat down on the chair opposite to Eomer´s and tried to calm her thoughts. She knew she grew affectionate when she was tired. She felt content in his presence, that was all.

He returned and slumped in his seat.

"It seems the orcs Eothain and his men slew had the time to attack two villages before they were stopped.", he started without introduction. It hit Lothiriel like a cold shower.

"Eothain says it was an atrocious sight. We will have to send help to the people who survived."

Eomer spoke in a resigned and even tone. It was horrible news.

Lothiriel was glad that Eothain had been able to stop these monsters. They owed the very same riders Lothiriel had cared for, not half an hour ago, that these nasty creatures were dead. Now she felt that her work had been barely adequate for the sacrifices the riders had made to protect their homeland.

Eomer looked up at her. Lothiriel held her breath. His eyes were tired, and being at the centre of his attention was an exhilarating experience. Her heart skipped a beat. He was so sad and beautiful, and suddenly she wished she could do something to set his mind at ease.

His hair was ruffled and automatically Lothiriel reached out to comb it with her fingers. Eomer went still and closed his eyes. She had to smile and moved closer to him, feeling the heat his body was radiating. The long strands of blond hair were silky under her touch. She could hear his shallow breaths. There was silence in the room. Strangely, stroking his hair calmed her. She should do it more often, now that they got along with each other again. She softly caressed the side of his face and leaned back.

Eomer opened his eyes.

"Thank you.", he said hoarsely.

Then he cleared his throat.

"Do you want mead? There are leftovers from dinner if you are hungry. You didn´t join me at lunch, either. Am I right in the suspicion that you haven´t had a proper meal since breakfast?"

Was he nervous? Lothiriel chose not to answer because she didn´t trust her voice. She was touched by his care. This admonishing glare was clearly fake. She furrowed her brows but took the offered plate. Eomer saw it and grinned, and it took years off his face. She really preferred a happy expression on him.

"Don't worry.", he said. "I just want you to relax."

This should worry her, shouldn´t it? But he had looked so peaceful in her hands just minutes ago that she couldn´t bring herself to question him. She took a bite. It was the best bun she had ever eaten.

"I wanted to speak to you. It came to my mind during the afternoon, and I fear that if we wait until each of us has time to spare, we will have to wait forever. I hope my letter wasn´t too harsh?", Eomer asked.

"No.", Lothiriel said, occupied with her bun. "It was good you sent the message. I am worn out, but didn't want to leave the others alone with the work. What did you want to tell me?"

Eomer fidgeted with the cup in his hands. He didn´t look at her when he spoke.

"It concerns your place in the household. If you hadn´t disappeared as soon as we greeted Eothain today I would have asked you join our meeting."

Lothiriel´s hand stopped at the way to her mouth.

"Are you displeased with me?", she asked. Her heart sank.

"No! I understand that you were needed elsewhere.", Eomer said. Lothiriel was relieved. She wouldn't want him to be discontented with her when right now she had the feeling that things were getting better between them. Slowly she relaxed.

"I thought about what you said in the garden, that I don´t listen to your advice. Since you attend every council meeting, I thought you should also be present when we talk about important matters such as the orc raids in the Westfold. You speak your mind when my advisors keep their mouths shut in respect to my position. I would like to… You are the Queen, and not just my wife."

He paused.

"I don't want to force you into doing something you don't want to do."

Lothiriel took a sip of her mead to gain time. Her heart was beating at full speed. Forgotten were her tired muscles from moments ago. She wanted to sing and dance! He asked her to officially take on her responsibilities as a queen!

But just as she welcomed his intention of finally making her an equal, she also had to think about it in a rational way. How would it affect her life? Did Eomer mean to entrust her to more duties, or was it just an attempt to define their relationship?

"Your position in the household will change, I think." , Eomer said. "Eowyn led Meduseld in the years before the war, and I honestly don´t know much about the subject. But I am sure you will find someone to instruct you."

Lothiriel felt icy cold out of a sudden. She hadn´t expected this. Well, may it be this way. It was the moment of revelation. She braced herself and spoke hesitantly:

"Concerning me leading the household…"

Eomer finally looked up, sensing the wariness in her voice.

"I am accustomed to the task. I held Dol Amroth when my family was fighting at the Black Gate, and I also took over my responsibilities here. Admittedly I just concentrated on the easier tasks in the first few months, but by now I do know everything that´s going on in Meduseld, provided it has do do with servants, food, or business with merchants."

Eomer stared at her for a few seconds. Then he closed his mouth. There was an awkward silence in which he digested the information.

"I should have expected that.", he muttered.

Lothiriel regarded him cautiously. He didn't feel betrayed, did he?

"You were responsible for the lead of the castle of Dol Amroth during the war? I hope you can forgive me, but I really didn't know that. I am curious why your father didn't bother to tell me. That's a great achievement for someone so young. You were…19, then?", Eomer rambled. It seemed as if he looked for something to distract him from the fact that his wife had led a secret life without him taking notice.

Lothiriel was quiet. She felt guilty that she hadn´t told him anything about herself, hadn´t been open with him from the start. But a few weeks ago he wouldn't have listened anyway.

"The wall hangings?", he asked after a moment of silence.

"For example, yes.", Lothiriel said.

"I felt that you wouldn't appreciate the dirty tapestries which only reminded you of your uncle and the years with Grima."

He nodded.

"And… the rest?"

Lothiriel tried it with honesty, again… it was the third time, her brain calculated. With mixed results. What was she thinking of? She summed up her activities in a short sentence. To be honest, she was too tired to think about using diplomacy now. She just wanted this conversation to be over and done, have a nice hot bath, and sleep.

"Well, I started with deciding the menu, teamed up with Aethild, and took over the lead of the domestic staff. There are so many daily duties I never cared to think about before, so it kept me well occupied. But only since our… fight, I know about our in- and outcomes. By the way, that´s the topic I wanted to discuss with you."

She told him about the listing of goods and food in Edoras and her concerns connected with it.

Eomer groaned and swore. Lothiriel drank from her mead to conceal her shaking hands. Everything was out now. And her sweet, honorable husband would take the problems in his capable hands. Eomer had jumped up and suddenly Lothiriel was sure that everything was going to be alright. She had no strength left to think about Edoras´ food stockings now, but she would tomorrow, and they would find a solution.

His brows set in a frown, straightened up to his full height and his body tense, Eomer was an intimidating sight. But not for her. Lothiriel took his hand and he stopped in his pacing, and looked down on her.

"Eomer.."

There was a knock on the door. The king immediately calmed down.

"Come in!",

It was Aethild.

"Lothiriel Queen, your bath is ready. Should I assist you?"

Lothiriel thankfully declined and the housekeeper left. Then she became aware of their still entangled hands. His palm was rough and calloused from riding and sword fighting, but his touch was incredibly tender.

Their eyes locked. Slowly his thumb brushed over the back of her hand, and Lothiriel shivered. His face was unreadable, and she suddenly had trouble breathing.

Eomer swiftly pulled her up to him, and then Lothiriel forgot her concerns from a moment ago; that there was a kingdom to rule, that he may be disappointed with her, that there were blood stains all over her dress and she was dirty and tired from a long day of work; because his lips were crashing down on her and all she could think of was how glorious he felt.

She put her arms around his neck and pushed herself even nearer, kissing and tasting him. He greedily opened her mouth, his hand at the back of her head, and Lothirial felt like she might faint. His other hands wandered down to her waist and pressed her against him, so there was literally no space left for her to move, but personal space was completely overrated when you had the King of Rohan in your arms.

She couldn´t hold back a quiet whimper when he sucked on her lower lip. He emitted a deep growl and it did wondrous things to her. Her hands were in his hair, and somehow she had wrapped her legs around his waist. His hands grabbed her bum to support her, or maybe just to touch her, she didn't know, but she liked it.

Finally she let go of him to catch air, breathing heavily, and he chuckled, but was suspiciously breathless as well. Eomer nuzzled her throat and his beard scratched the sensitive skin, causing goose bumps to rise. Then he withdrew and looked down on her. A smile played at the corner of his mouth, and his lips … Lothiriel couldn´t help but stare. She didn't know what to think of the hurricane of emotions that went through her, but she knew that his slightly dazed eyes were only because of her, and she raised her head again.

She met his lips for a second time, but the frantic heat changed into something warmer, softer. Tender lips caressed her face and Lothiriel never wanted to do anything other in her life than to kiss her wonderful husband.

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Here we go again! :)

Thank you coecoe11 and you, guest, and eothiriel!

We will leave these lovebirds for now, but only for about two weeks from today, because my finals are approaching and I´m busy with learning and being desperate.

I hope you had fun, if yes, please tell me, and if no, please tell me why.


	10. Chapter 10

Lothiriel loved Eomer´s hair. It was blond, and unlike the rest of him, very soft. Eomer had to bend over to kiss her, and unfortunately a part of his mane got caught between their faces. In the bliss of the moment, and successfully distracted by Eomer´s hands on her body, Lothiriel was able to ignore it. But then a strand of hair found its way into her mouth.

Lothiriel choked, put her hands against his shoulders and took a hasty step back. After a moment of confusion Eomer´s attempt to help her by tapping on her back almost brought her to her knees. Lothiriel´s husband sometimes forgot his strength.

"Did I hurt you?", he asked, concerned.

Lothiriel waved his apology away, still fighting for air. When she had gained her composure, her head was clear again. Back in Gondor the maids had told her of kisses so perfect they made one forget the world around. And this really had been such a kiss, but it had been interrupted by Eomer´s hair in her throat. It was embarrassing; she bet that this had never happened to one of her maids! And the world came back crushing down on her. All of a sudden she felt weak, and didn't know if she should laugh or cry.

Lothiriel looked at her feet. There still were blood stains on her dress.

"I want to take a bath.", she said. She needed to calm her thoughts.

"I could come with you.", Eomer said. Sharply Lothiriel looked up and found him still grinning at her. A few moments ago she would have happily agreed, and she was well aware what he was implying. Panic overcame her. His eyes looked warmly down on her and Lothiriel found it hard to breathe. Why was she reacting like this?

"No.", she said. "I would like so have some time just for me." His grin dropped, and it made her feel guilty, to add it to her other emotions.

Lothiriel turned around and fled from the room.

The tub was filled with steaming hot water. The mirror in the corner was fogged and Lothiriel couldn't see her reflection. She was thankful for it. She scrambled out of her clothes and sank into the water. It burned her skin at first, but Lothiriel welcomed the sensation. It gave her a sense of reality after this long day so far outside her comfort zone.

She leant back and closed her eyes. What had caused her to flee from him? Eomer was considerate, beautiful and strong, and most importantly, her husband. Sometimes he was stubborn and loud, and his temper got the better of him, but she could live with that. She had to. Lothiriel had not been that skittish even in her wedding night. She knew she could trust him.

Lothiriel reached for the sponge and began to scrub herself clean from grime and sweat. It was heavenly. Following a sudden impuls, she dipped her head into the water. She had planned to wash her hair two days from now, when the visit of some lord of the Eastfold was due, but the day simply called for it.

Gasping for air, she stilled in her actions. She could trust him, couldn't she? After all, what did she have to fear? They were married; it wasn't as if he could leave her. Lothiriel had told him she wished to be able to trust him again, and it was the truth. And he had changed. Or had she? It didn't matter; their relationship was different now from what it had been before. Her body trusted him, and she couldn't help it. She even felt safe around him! Around the same Eomer who hadn´t spared her a glance less than two months ago!

She shouldn't forget the past, she told herself. Right from the start, Lothiriel had tried to please her husband, but he had ignored her. When she had come to Rohan, and although it had been an arranged marriage, she had hoped for a partner, someone to talk to, someone who would listen to her problems. Their wedding night had been wonderful, and she even had allowed herself to hope for something like love.

Her hopes had been crushed, and she had been alone. She didn't want this to happen to her again. Apparently love wasn't meant for her. And after the last few weeks, she knew there was no way out of marriage. Eomer and she were stuck with each other, in the good days just as in the bad days. But she had also learnt that she could cope with it.

This time it was different. This time they were no strangers, he knew her, and she knew him. She was able to be happy with things standing as they were. Lothiriel and Eomer were friends, and she was being useful in the household. No need to panic.

She washed her hair with the soap she had brought from Dol Amroth and finally left the bath tub. She guessed Eomer had fallen asleep in the meanwhile. Bathing had taken her remarkably longer than usual.

Lothiriel entered their bedchamber in her nightgown. Her hair was dried as much as possible with a towel, and braided. The lights were out. Eomer already occupied his half of the bed, seemingly asleep. Quietly Lothiriel slipped under the covers. She shivered and pulled the fur from the middle of the bed closer to her.

Eomer snorted. Lothiriel´s hand froze mid-air.

"Everything alright, little wife?", he asked. "Are you cold, or why are you stealing my fur?"

Obviously she had been mistaken, her husband was very much awake.

"It´s nothing.", she murmured sheepishly. "My hair is wet."

"Come here."

Suddenly a long arm came from behind and took her by the waist. Lothiriel squeaked. What was he doing? Eomer pulled her closer and Lothiriel was too surprised to even think about showing resistance. His body pressed against her back. Lothiriel was tense. Eomer didn't claim his marital rights, at least he didn't act like the times he had, and these had been the only occasions they had been this near. They had never… cuddled.

Eomer radiated warmth. Gradually Lothiriel relaxed. Yes, she was able to hear him breathing somewhere behind her left ear, and it was a great distraction, but taken it all together, it was wonderful here. The cold left her body, even her toes warmed up. Cuddling Eomer was a nice experience.

She didn't know for how long they had lain like this, but sleep evaded her. With every passing minute she became more aware of his presence, expecially his hand on her hip. Although they didn't talk, Lothiriel knew that he was also awake.

She nearly jolted when she felt his fingers move. They drew small circles on her waist, and Lothiriel fought to keep her breathing even. She didn't want him to see how much he affected her. She was here to sleep, after all.

He continued brushing over her skin, with tender movements, the palm of his hand rough. Now Lothiriel became uncomfortably hot. She considered bringing distance between their bodies, but feared it might be insulting. But she didn't want to take advantage of him when he had been so nice to her.

Her mind stopped. He wouldn't he touch her like this if he didn't want something from her, would he? All men were the same, or so she had been told by her mother. Lothiriel gathered all her courage and wriggled closer to him. There was a stone-hard erection pressing against her back. Lothiriel suppressed a giggle. That made things pretty clear.

She turned around and looked him in the eyes. His smile was almost apologetic.

"I can´t help it.", he whispered. "My beautiful wife next to me... If you wish, you could-"

Lothiriel shut him up with a kiss.

His lips were soft and welcoming, immediately answering her. His arms came up and drew her closer. It reminded her of the kiss they had shared not two days ago, but infinitely better. This time, she had nowhere to go. His hands caressed her back and she was lying half above him, melting into the embrace.

Was this even real? Her heart pounded too loud for Lothiriel to be able to think. She moved a little bit away and looked down. Eomer slowly opened his eyes. They were almost black. Only their ragged breaths were heard in the room. Leisurely, Eomer smiled.

"But of course, we could also continue." His husky voice betrayed the nonchalance he was showing.

Oh, no. He wouldn't get away that easily. Despite the fact that Lothiriel was slightly anxious, after all she had never been the one to initialise intimacies between them, she knew what she wanted.

"I do enjoy touching you.", she teased him, propping on her elbows. The tunic he wore for sleep had fallen open, and she traced the skin beneath the hem. There was fine pale hair, and she was impatient to feel what lay beneath the rest of his nightgown. Pushing the covers aside, she started planting little kisses on his throat, moving further down with each touch. Eomer had gone completely still. When she opened the first button and brushed with her lips over the revealed skin, his breath hitched.

Lothiriel looked up inquiringly.

"Do you want me to stop?", she asked and opened the next button.

Eomer´s eyes were wide and glued to her face. Apparently unable to speak, he shook his head. Well, she seemed to do something right. Lothiriel continued opening his tunic. When she was at the last button, he finally snapped out of his paralysis. In a fluid motion he grabbed her and brought her body underneath him, his mouth covering hers.

Lothiriel couldn't think. She could only taste him, feel him, the broad shoulders and the beard scratching her face but his lips, sweet Elbereth, his lips! But then she was in need of air, and pushed, and he let go of her for only seconds before he came down on her again.

Eomer´s hand stroked her side, and then she felt her own nightgown being shoved up, and his touch on her skin created a fever she hadn´t known she possessed before. She made a surprised noise, it sounded suspiciously like mewling, when his hand cupped her right breast. Her whole body was on fire, and he made it worse each time he touched her. Eomer helped her out of her nightgown, and eventually she was naked. The cold air caressed her skin. He took a moment to enjoy the view and Lothiriel shivered under his gaze.

Then Eomer locked eyes with her.

"You are gorgeous.", he said. "Tonight I will make you forget all the hardships you had to suffer. I will do my best to make it up to you."

Eomer´s voice was completely sincere. Lothiriel reached out to him. Never had she heard a promise more beautiful. They met in the middle, kissing, and Eomer removed his tunic completely. Lothiriel put her legs around him, and he pushed into her without warning. She couldn't hold back a gasp, but he didn't seem to mind. When he started moving, Lothiriel found it harder and harder to concentrate on him, instead her focus was blurry and mostly there where he touched her, her belly, her breasts, her thighs, not to mention his kisses. All she could do was to cling and press into him, and to move whenever her instincts told her to, and it worked out just great.

She was going to die. There was a pressure building up inside her, and while it did feel absolutely incredible, Lothiriel was terrified of losing her control. She reached up and touched Eomer´s neck, stroking down his arms and chest, breathing evenly. Normally touching him would calm her, but now it accomplished quite the opposite. The heat just wouldn't subside, and suddenly there was a hand between them, and it was most certainly not hers. Eomer looked Lothiriels in the eyes while he was stroking her. And then she couldn't hold it back anymore. Lothiriel´s mental walls collapsed around her and her last conscious thought was to bite in the next available thing in order to prevent screams. Her muscles clenched. Eomer held her while her whole body shook. Maybe she did make a few sounds.

When she came back to reality a few minutes later, the first thing she noticed was the taste of blood.

"Oh Eomer, I am so-"

The thrust interrupted her sentence. Eomer took up speed again and although her body felt completely boneless, it reacted to him. She lifted her pelvis to meet him, and Eomer grabbed her even firmer. His kiss was hard, but Lothiriel welcomed it anyway. His breathing got heavier, then he thrusted one last time and came with a grunt. He fell on her and Lothiriel was positively flattened, but it felt good. Eomer breathed loudly, and she still trembled. She had never felt so close to anyone.

Slowly her strength came back her and she patted him on the shoulder. As much as Lothiriel liked being buried underneath him, she didn´t want him to fall asleep here. She was to weak to push him away, so she didn´t even try it.

Eomer rolled off of her, but took her with him so she was lying on top of him. Lothiriel kissed his chest and Eomer smiled at her. She snuggled even closer. Everything was perfect. She was already so sleepy, and Eomer´s gentle fingers on her back comforted her.

"Good night.", she whispered. Tomorrow she would think about the blood on his shoulder.

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Thank you ctgirl92, Anna and guest :)

Well, as promised, one new chapter, about two more to go. Finals are over and I failed one dramatically, but we were in Berlin for the weekend afterwards to watch a musical (Tanz der Vampire) and it cheered me up.

*cough cough* the sex... no bedsheet acrobatics, but still satisfying, I would say. Oh my, please say something. I haven´t written a sex scene for over two years, and real life is quite different from fanfiction, so... I hope you had fun. I certainly had.


	11. Chapter 11

Lothiriel woke up before dawn. She was knackered, and their nightly activities had robbed her of precious hours she could have spent sleeping. However, she didn't regret one second. Eomer's hands on her body… She shivered remembering the pleasures he had given her. But now she was so tired she wished she could stay in bed for the rest of the week. But Eomer… his blue eyes, always seeking her gaze, and his mouth, kissing not only her mouth, but every inch of her body… She had finally touched him, his chest and back and everywhere she could reach. Her lips curled up involuntarily. He was a beautiful man, and he was her man.

She hoped she wasn't a terrible sight and didn't look as tired as she felt. Eomer had seen her in a lot of states, but today was special. He had said she was beautiful. And she had felt like it, but now she wasn't sure anymore. But on the other hand, maybe it had been in the heat of the moment, and he would think different when he woke up next to her.

Lothiriel forced her body to relax. No. She shouldn't think like this. They had had a wonderful night together, and everything would be fine. She opened her eyes and looked next to her with a smile. If he was still asleep she could wake him up with a kiss. But then a surprise hit her.

Eomer's spot was already empty. Had she overslept? No, she answered herself immediately. It was still dark outside, consequently she was in time. She stared at the bed and touched the sheets. They were cold. With the the realisation that he had indeed left their chambers, her brain went numb. Why was it never easy with this man? There was a heavy weight pressing on her chest.

In the last weeks she had been the first one to rise. He usually slept until the the first beams of sunlight reached his face, which normally was ten to fifteen minutes after dawn. Lothiriel suddenly felt miserable. Her husband was an early bird, but more out of duty than pleasure. He rose early during the foaling season and when he went for a morning ride with Firefoot, but other than that, he enjoyed sleeping in. One did know things like that after spending months together, even if they hadn't talked with each other. And even then she had used this knowledge to avoid him more easily. There had to be a reason why he had left.

Lothiriel came to the conclusion that she had to be the reason. Sweet Elbereth, she had bitten him! He had bled! She had wanted to apologise to him as soon as she would wake up. Eomer hadn't said anything about it, but maybe it had upset him?

It hurt. It hurt so much her hands trembled and tears came to her eyes. Why did it feel as if her whole body had gone cold? She was overreacting. Lothiriel blinked frantically. She wasn't a little girl anymore. She really should get a grip on herself. So what, he had left. But as far as she recalled, there were no appointments for him in the morning, and no pressing matters which had to be attended.

She tried to suppress it, but the tears started rolling down her cheeks. Half awake, she had been so happy. And now… Lothiriel pressed her fists against her eyes. Nothing could be done. She didn't own Eomer, he was free to do whatever he wanted. And if he decided to leave after they had spent the night together, she had no right to tell him otherwise. It wasn´t her business. And, to be honest, she would have wanted him to stay because he wanted it, and not because she had told him so. Maybe it was better this way. Still, it hurt.

It took her a few minutes to calm down. Through the opened windows she could hear the birds singing, already chirping their morning song. Then she got up. She was not in Gondor, she had other things to do than to chat with her ladies in waiting. Suddenly Lothiriel couldn't stand to be in their bedchamber anymore. The memory of the night was fresh, but it had a lonely and sad taste now. Before she started crying again, she quickly put on her breeches and went down to Weirhild. She was in desperate need of a distraction.

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After her riding lessons Lothiriel visited the barracks. They were a much better sight today. The men had washed, and the smell had greatly improved. Lothiriel went across the training grounds where the younger riders had already begun with their fighting lessons. They stopped to greet her with a deep bow, and Lothiriel nodded. She couldn't fake a smile now. Finna had lifted her thoughts for the time being, but it all crushed down on her again. She hadn't seen Eomer in the hall during breakfast. Lothiriel continued walking. She heard the instructor yell after she disappeared behind a corner.

Geirhildir helped in the healing tract. That woman had energy in abundance, Lothiriel mused. She reported on their progress and showed Lothiriel around. Lothiriel was surprised to find only a few beds occupied. Geirhildir affirmed her unspoken question.

"Most riders with lacerations insisted on moving to the communal accommodations. The ones left here will take a little longer to recover. Also, we cleaned the room from all the dirt and blood, so it doesn't look like a battlefield anymore. We have had worse."

Since Geirhildir seemed to have taken over the inofficial lead of the barracks and got along well with Hergrim, there wasn't much to do for Lothiriel. She spoke with the riders who had been hurt the most and changed a bandage. She found out that her first patient from the evening before also had left the healing tract, but was sleeping at the moment. It was fascinating to see how fast everyday life set in in Rohan. Lothiriel had difficulties with adapting to the sudden peaceful atmosphere, when a day ago she had thought half of the men were going to die. She felt ashamed of her reaction now. Surely none of the other women had been affected by the blood, while Lothiriel had almost puked into her bucket. She was glad no one knew.

Lothiriel stayed for another hour. When she didn't find anything useful to do, she went back to the training grounds and watched the warriors hitting each other with training swords. Although her three brothers were skilled fighters, Lothiriel didn't know much about sparring. The more elegant and fluid a fight looked, the more apt she assessed the fighters. As for the currently fighting Rohirrim, it looked like a dance. Lothiriel lost herself in thought while observing the hypnotic movements.

She came back to reality when there was a sudden lack of noise. The Rohirrim next to her had finished their fight and others took their place. Although too respectful to approach her, Lothiriel felt their questioning looks.

She corrected her posture and nodded to them before leaving. The least she could do was being honest to herself: She dreaded meeting Eomer. But she had lingered long enough. Lothiriel said her goodbyes to Geirhildir and wandered up the hill.

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The doors of the council chamber flew open when Lothiriel passed.

"I do not wish to hear another word!", Eomer growled.

"But-"

"I will not listen to this impertinence anymore! The meeting is disbanded!"

She jumped aside when a very grumpy looking Eomer stomped out of the chamber. He didn't see her. His long strides were directed to the stables. Lothiriel looked after him. Of course his shoulder was clothed, so no one could see the injury, but she knew it was there. She was ashamed. No wonder Eomer had left, he didn't need a wife who lost control like that. Tears prickled in her eyes again, and Lothiriel fled to her rooms.

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Lothiriel ordered food to be delivered to her chamber, spent half an hour imagining Eomer being furious with her and another hour with reassuring herself that most likely he wasn't. After that it was time for her language lessons, which helped her to settle her mind even more. Her teacher was an elderly gentleman, as far as a middle-aged, menacing looking Rohir could be, and his serene presence left no room for hystery and melancholy. Concentrating on grammar, new vocabulary and irregular verbs, Lothiriel was able to put her distress in the far back of her mind.

When he left it was already dinnertime. Lothiriel feared her courage might fade away if she waited too long and went straight to the great hall. Her feet were trembling as she spotted Eomer sitting on his throne, but she didn't hesitate.

"Good evening, my Lord," she said.

Eomer instantly looked up, and grinned.

"Good evening, my Queen," he said, picked up her hand and kissed it. Lothiriel's face heated up. Hastily she sat down and put her hands in her lap.

Lothiriel took the fork in a firm grip to hide the shaking of her hands. She drank of the mead in front of her, she didn't know if it was out of relief or worry. Eomer continued eating. He looked in her direction with mirth in his eyes. Lothiriel exhaled deeply.

Everything seemed to be fine. Lothiriel was glad she hadn't told anyone about her sorrows. She had made such a fool of herself. She still wasn't completely at ease, but the way Eomer behaved showed her that he was not upset with her.

And whatever he had done in the morning, he hadn't left their bed because of her.

Sometimes she missed her brother Amrothos. He would have told her from the beginning that she wasn't the centre of the world and shouldn't take herself so seriously. Most of the time he was annoying, but he was always at her side. She would have needed his advice today.

The idea hit her like a lightning bolt. Carefully, Lothiriel laid back her fork and turned to Eomer.

"I would like to retire.", she said. "Would you care to accompany me?"

Eomer, who chewed on his meat, raised both eyebrows. He swallowed and stood up, but after a short moment of consideration, he took two slices of bread with him. Lothiriel suppressed a smile. She nearly felt bad for forcing him to leave.

Lothiriel opened the doors to their chambers and Eomer deliberately put his food on the bedside table before turning to Lothiriel. Before she could explain herself, he had cupped her face and kissed her.

The rest of Lothiriel's doubts dissipated. If he kissed her like that, he definitely wasn't angry with her. She opened her mouth and tasted him. There always was this smell of leather, and horse, but also fresh wind and something that was typically Eomer. His taste on her lips, his arms around her, Lothiriel felt whole. His hands wandered up and down her back. When her legs hit the bed, Lothiriel came back to her senses. She hadn't even noticed they had moved!

"Wait, wait!" She said and shoved Eomer back. Truth to be said, it only worked because he allowed it.

"But I don't want to wait," Eomer said, white teeth shining when he grinned. Lothiriel was tempted to kiss him again.

"Amrothos," she said.

"What?" Eomer asked, a confused expression replacing the grin.

"My brother," Lothiriel explained.

"Yes, I know," Eomer said. "But I don't see what your brother has to with our bedroom activities."

Lothiriel blushed. Hopefully her bedroom activities would never be a topic between her brother and her.

"No, he has nothing to do with it," she grimaced. "I was thinking about the food stockings…"

Eomer groaned. "Now? And here I thought you would want to retire because you find me irresistible. I was looking forward to a proper ravishing."

Lothiriel's cheeks burned now. No need to speak it out loud! A servant could hear them. She decided to ignore him and go on with her plan.

"I could send him a letter. He is the youngest of my brothers and specialised in trade, also he doesn't have pressing responsibilities in Dol Amroth. I could persuade my father to send supplies for the winter. There isn't much time left, but the Dimholt is open for passage now and that would shorten the journey. And Amrothos could stay for a while. I missed him."

Lothiriel beamed at Eomer, but he frowned.

"I don't like having to beg your family for help," he said.

Lothiriel hastily reassured him. "Of course we will pay it back next year! As I said, my brother is the tradesman in our family. You can talk with him about the goods Rohan has to offer and the possibilities for both Rohan and Dol Amroth. Now that the war is over, we need trading connections to the other realms. And I will make sure he doesn't screw you."

Lothiriel took his hand. Eomer just had to say yes! It was the only sensible solution. And she was so happy he wasn't mad.

"You are a cheeky woman", Eomer sighed, but he smiled. "I will think about it."

Lothiriel nodded, satisfied.

"But first", Eomer declared. "I want to kiss you."

And so he did.

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Later Lothiriel lay next to Eomer and stared at the ceiling. She couldn't sleep. They had made love and although her body was tired, her mind was restless. Their lovemaking had changed. He cared for her, gave her pleasure, and she enjoyed every second of it. Eomer had told her she didn't need to be ashamed of noises she made, because they only showed him that he did it right. It was a great relieve. And he had laughed when she had mentioned his shoulder. After two battles against the worst middle-earth could provide, he was absolutely happy to get bitten by his wife, so he had said. Then, why wasn't she as content as she should be?

Lothiriel analysed her feelings. The immense pressure she had felt today… the desperation she had felt in the morning... The events had shown her that she depended on Eomer. She was absolutely miserable when she thought something was wrong between them. Lothiriel didn't like having her emotions controlled by Eomer. Yes, he was a good man, but she couldn't be sure of the feelings he had for her. At the moment, he seemed to like her. But was it only her body, or the whole lot of her?

Quietly Lothiriel slipped out of the bed and went to the bathroom. She sat on the chair and sorted her emotions. Eventually she came to three conclusions, and they were not to her liking:

First; she depended far more on Eomer's feelings than he did on hers.

Second; her heart wouldn't survive being turned down by him a second time.

And finally, the third point: She loved him.

Lothiriel cursed. Normally, she never cursed, and being a wellbred Gondorian noblelady, she had never even known good curses. However, she had spent enough time among the Rohirrim, especially the riders, to catch up a few phrases. Her curses had greatly improved. Now she was desperately whispering them. Please not.

The first time had been easily to overcome because Eomer had been a stranger. She just had to adapt to reality after realising Eomer was not her dream-husband. But now she knew his flaws, and his strengths, and she loved him despite of it! There was no cure, or sudden insight. She didn't just love an idea of Eomer, she loved him!

This was terrible.

She simply had to live with it. She had to live with him. The worst was, she couldn't blame him. It wasn't his fault that his wife was an illogical, soppy little girl. Eomer must never find out. Because if he did, he would tell her that he didn't feel a thing for her. Lothiriel knew she wouldn't be able to take it.

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AN:

Thank you, coecoe11, outlawwoman and SarahWeasley! :D

Apparently I have been doing quotation marks wrong all the time, but I hope it wasn't too bad. I will fix it as soon as possible.


	12. Chapter 12

When Eomer woke up, his wife had already left, but he wasn't bothered by it. She always was up to something these days. Maybe it was because he had treated her so badly in the past. Or, and he liked this possibility more, she was an energetic woman by nature and had suppressed that part of her character until the last weeks. People weren't meant to sit around in locked rooms all day long. Maybe it had been about time that Lothiriel came out of her shell. Anyhow, as he had told her before, he wouldn't question her.

Yesterday had proven to be exceedingly satisfying. He got up and started to set up the letter Lothiriel had suggested to write to her family straight away. He didn't seal it, however, because he wanted his wife to have a look before sending it. She may want to add a few sentences.

He went down for breakfast. Lothiriel wasn't there either. Eomer decided against calling for her. He would see her soon enough, he was sure. Instead he spent the morning in a tedious meeting with his marshals and advisors. Unless the topics concerned immediate dangers for his people, Eomer was often bored by the endless discussions his advisors held. He wasn't really interested in planning and calculations, he just wanted to get things done.

Eomer caught his wife on the streets up to Meduseld. She wore breeches, and his mouth went dry. Of course he knew that she had shapely legs, but he had never seen them in daylight. And the tunic didn't even reach her knees! It was the usual dress for Rohirric women, but he had never imagined that his modest, on the outside even prude wife, would wear trousers. Surely this would cause a scandal in Gondor! She looked stunning, but nothing like a queen, more like one of his female riders. Well, unless Aragorn decided to pay a spontaneous visit to Edoras, there was no need for her to clothe herself in expensive gowns and diamonds. Eomer had talked to Aethild this morning. The housekeeper seemed to have a sincere sympathy for her. His people respected Lothiriel for her actions, not her looks. Which brought him back to his first thought - there wasn't anything bad to say about her looks. These legs... Bema! Eomer banned the improper thought of swinging her on his shoulders and carrying her to their bedchambers from his mind. Then Eomer noticed the looks men were sending her and decided to have a word with a few of his riders later.

"Lothiriel!" He called out. She went beet red in the face upon seeing him. Eomer had to grin. He found this trait of hers rather captivating. She really blushed on every occassion.

"Eomer King," she said and curtsied. It reminded him that they were in public and that he should address her properly, but still, a curtsy in breeches looked funny.

"I am on my way to Aleofe's. Would you like to accompany me?" Lothiriel asked.

Eomer agreed. He wanted to have a look at the barracks anyway and the seamstress lived halfway up the hill, so it wouldn't take him any longer to go with his wife. He offered her his arm. The touch was light as always, but he felt her heat nevertheless. Oh, he had grown fond of his little wife. Tonight, he would make her forget her own name. On the way Eomer told Lothiriel about the letter and she promised to read it as soon as she was done at the seamstress's.

In front of Lothiriel's destination they stopped. Lothiriel looked up with a question in her eyes. Well, why the hell not? He spun her around to face him and kissed her on the mouth. Lothiriel gasped, but only seconds later he felt her arms around his neck, and he smiled into their kiss.

When he let her go, she was breathless and red in the face, again. Sheepishly she looked around. "What will they think…" She murmured.

Eomer laughed. "That we are a happy couple. See you later, Lothiriel Queen."

She didn't look him in the eyes as he turned around and left.

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Eomer sent the courier the next morning. As they watched the man ride out of sight from the steps of Meduseld, Lothiriel smiled at him before she went inside to attend to her duties. Somehow, the smile touched him. It was nothing big. However, it felt like being given a second chance.

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The next weeks passed in a blur. Eomer was busy ruling, he spent the days meeting lords and holding court. Lothiriel took part in the discussions. Never was she disrespectful, and they often talked about difficult issues in private. He learnt to appreciate her value as a confident, and with time came trust. He had always feared to be betrayed; to eventually find out that she didn't like it in Rohan and that she had different goals than him. Now he began to understand that this had never been the case. Even if she spoke against him, she was on his side.

The nights became far more pleasureable. He had been completely wrong assuming his wife was a wallflower and a prude. Well, Gondorian maidens weren't particularly famous for their raw passion, more for their pleasing manners and householding skills. Obviously Lothiriel was special. He more and more looked forward to the evenings. Lothiriel was a fast learner, and since she actively participated in their lovemaking, it was incredible. She wasn't really the type of woman he had preferred before the marriage, but he couldn't understand why anymore. She was small, yes, but she had grace, and her grey eyes and dark hair were extraordinary. Her body had all the right curves on all the right places. Eomer wondered how he had overlooked her beauty before. Maybe it had to do with her newly found self-confidence. Before the fight she had tried her best to avoid him and not to be in his way, and now she smiled openly at him whenever they met during the day. Eomer felt his heart warm each time she hugged him.

But he also liked to simply spend time with her after a long exhausting day. She then often came to sit on his lap, played with his hair and listened to him. In return she would tell him silly little stories of her day or her family in Dol Amroth. There wasn't much homesickness in her words anymore, only a fond reminiscence of her childhood memories. When he wasn't in the mood for talking, she just sat there and hugged him.

Apart from the nights spent together she often came close in a far more innocent way. He didn't know if she was aware of how much she touched him. Once he noticed it he couldn't get it out of his mind anymore. She particularly liked his forearms and his chest, he mused. And she started to comb his hair every evening. It was relaxing, and Eomer felt completely at ease during this time.

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Only when they were on a patrol to Aldburg, he realised how much he had gotten used to her. Expectedly it was the last visit to make sure everything was alright before the winter finally came. When they arrived in Aldburg, he had no one to talk to after retiring to his chambers. Although he had grown up in this town and most people knew him, he felt surprisingly lonely. The bed was cold without her. Eomer missed his wife.

On the way back he made his riders hurry up, a fact Gamling found most amusing. In the following nights he was repeatedly mocked by him "for being a lovesick youngster". Eomer only shook his head in exasperation.

"We all were young once," the marshal told him with a laugh. "Nothing wrong with wanting to be with your wife instead of camping in the woods with your riders. Especially in this damned cold. My arse is freezing off."

When they arrived in Edoras, Lothiriel awaited them on the terrace. Eomer jumped off Firefoot and handed the reins to the next stable boy. He came up the steps and swiftly embraced her. It felt so good having her small body pressed against him again! He buried his face in her hair and contently inhaled. He could smell the weirdly scented soap she had imported from Dol Amroth. Her small hands came around his waist and he suppressed a chuckle.

After a few moments she took a little step back and opened her mouth to say something. Then she closed it again and looked at her shoes.

"I missed you," she said quietly.

Eomer grinned happily.

"I missed you too, Lothiriel."

Her reaction was priceless. She blinked, and then her mouth wavered, but she grinned, and Eomer feared she would start crying now, so he quickly kissed her. He would never understand women. It was wonderful, and Eomer would have liked to continue this in private, but sadly he would have to wait until evening.

Eventually marshal Eothain cleared his throat. Lothiriel jumped back and straightened herself.

"Welcome back, Eomer King," she greeted him officially. "I hope you had a pleasant journey and Aldburg is prosperous and safe. Marshal Eothain, marshal Gamling. It is nice to have you back. Let's come in and talk while sitting at the table."

Eothain smiled and nodded.

"Lothiriel Queen," Gamling said. "It is good to see that the royal couple is indeed attracted to each other. You wouldn't believe how fast we were forced to ride in order to reach Edoras as soon as possible, the only reason for that being Eomer King's longing for his wife."

"Quiet, Gamling," Eomer intervened. This man had partially raised him, but his poor wife was already red enough in the face. Lothiriel shook her had and questioningly looked at Eomer, who shrugged his shoulders.

"Ah, well," she said. "Lunch is prepared," she announced then. It was answered with cheerful expressions of gratitude by his riders, who claimed to be starved. Nothing was a better distraction for his men than food. He laid his hand on her waist, and since she didn't push it away, it stayed there as they went into the hall.

During the meal he briefed Lothiriel on the happenings in Aldburg and she told him about the last week in Meduseld. From time to time she stood up to to pour ale or mead in the mugs of the people sitting at the high table, as it was the custom in Rohan for the Lady of the House to traditionally serve the guests of honour. The mood was great, laughter filled Meduseld and families celebrated being reunited.

Eomer looked at Lothiriel, who was talking to Elfhelm at the other end of the table. For once he didn't miss Eowyn that much, and he didn't feel overwhelmed by his task anymore. He had Lothiriel by his side.

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AN:

Whoop whoop I love these two! Eomer being blissfully unaware of a lovesick Lothiriel :D

Thank you and welcome, Cordapia and Crissy8414 :)


	13. Chapter 13

Three days after Eomer had come back from Aldburg, a messenger entered the hall. Lothiriel stood up and greeted him, then led him to an empty council chamber, where she told him to wait. She sent Geirhildir to fetch Eomer and brought the exhausted rider bread and wine.

It seemed Eomer had just missed Amrothos on his way home from Aldburg, as Amrothos had arrived in Dunharrow this very morning.

"I would love to ride and meet him halfway!" Lothiriel exclaimed. "I haven't seen him in such a long time."

Eomer raised his eyebrows.

"You are aware that it would take hours to prepare a carriage for you? He will be there even before we leave Edoras."

Lothiriel glared at him, then realised what he had said and squirmed.

"Actually, I would like to ride on my own," she said. "Would you like to accompany me? I promise I will not hinder you."

When Eomer had been away, Lothiriel had missed him incredibly. But on the other hand she had gotten used to her freedom and the fact that she didn't need to hide something from him. In fact, she didn't want to hide anything anymore and was tired of the secrets between them. When she had started with her lessons, she had dreamt of a day when she would ride in front of Eomer and his jaw would slack. She had imagined he would be impressed by her riding skills and feel stupid for underestimating her. But things had changed. They got along. Very well, to be honest. She didn't want him to feel sorry, rather she wished he would be proud of her. This wasn't some sort of revenge. Furthermore she had realised that Eomer would hardly be impressed with her riding skills. He had ridden his whole life: Eomer and Firefoot were one unit. In comparison to them Lothiriel was nothing but a mere beginner.

Her riding lessons had become her morning ritual, and by now she loved the feeling of wind in her hair, the speed, and the warm strong body of Finna beneath her. To be honest she was surprised Eomer hadn't found out yet. Everyone except for him knew what she did every morning. Since the first time Eomer had seen her in breeches she also left their room in her riding clothes. He never asked. Maybe this was another proof of trust: He knew she wouldn't do anything stupid, and let her do things on her own. Well, even so, these times were over, and it was alright by her if there was no drama.

Before Eomer could open his mouth, she continued:

"Well, there's no sense in keeping it from you anyway. I have been taking riding lessons since that awful day because I thought I wasn't a suitable queen for you and the riddermark if I didn't even know how to ride properly. Also, I wanted to surprise you, but on second thought this isn't a very good idea. Let's go and meet Amrothos."

Suddenly feeling very flustered, Lothiriel stood up and tried to leave the room, but Eomer had none of it. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to him.

"You're my queen, and you couldn't be any better or more perfect," he said. Lothiriel blushed and stared up at him. Sometimes, he said things like this and she didn't know what to answer. It pulled the rug out from under her feet, and she was falling, but didn't know if she should hold on to him. Yes, Lothiriel fell hard for him, but she was sure he fell softer.

Eomer had a soft smile in the corner of his mouth and she relaxed. If this went well, it was the last piece of dishonesty between them. She felt more hopeful for her future than she probably should. Lothiriel rose to her tiptoes, and Eomer, who immediately recognised what she had in mind, graciously bowed his head. They kissed, and as every single time it felt as Lothiriel's heart would explode. There was no room for thoughts. His soft lips caressed her and she opened her mouth. Her arms somehow went around his neck, and he held her so tightly he lifted her up a little bit. Sweet Elbereth, she really loved him. When he let her down, she gasped for air but didn't step back. Instead, she put her arms around his waist and leant her cheeck against his chest. It was also heaving, she noted satisfied. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth coming from her husband, his low chuckle above her, and his arms embracing her, first hesitantly, then drawing circles on her back and pulling her so close she felt his presence all around her. A simple hug had never felt so complete.

"You surprised me from the beginning," he whispered. "I should have chosen a horse for you. I am sorry I didn't, I was a fool. However, I am looking forward to see you riding. Are you angry with me if I tell you my mind has troubles imagining that? You were an abysmal rider…"

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The next morning they left Edoras on horseback. Of course being the King and Queen of Rohan somehow complicated the journey. Although the road to Dunharrow was reported to be free of orcs and bandits, they had to ride with a handful of guards for protection, additional horses to carry the simple tent for the soldiers and a more luxurious tent for the royal pair. The cold demanded for warmer clothing which required a lot of space as well. Eomer didn't seem to like to prospect of travelling with so many people, but silently Lothiriel welcomed it. She had ridden three hours or more daily for over two months now, but they would ride the whole day through, and she feared she would embarrass herself and slow everyone down. With a big company however, they had to ride with a slower pace anyway.

"Nervous?" Eomer asked as they stood waiting on the terrace of Meduseld and waited for their horses.

"A little bit," Lothiriel admitted. "Although I'm less afraid of my horse than of your opinion." It was so much easier to speak the truth now. In Dol Amroth, admitting fear would be seen as admitting weakness. All the protocols and formalities made it easier to hide one's feelings.

Eomer casually laid his arm around her. Lothiriel's heart skipped a beat.

"You don't have to fear my judgement, you know that, my Lady of the Sea." These nicknames were another thing. Most of the times he called her by her name, but sometimes he regarded her by names such as "darling", "raven-girl", "summerbird" or simply "love". It deeply disturbed Lothiriel.

"I am amazed you took the time to take riding lessons at all. It is all about the joy. If you think it's enough for you, you can sit with me. Firefoot can easily carry us both."

Eomer grinned and winked at her. Lothiriel blushed, of course.

Weirhild brought Finna and Eomer regarded the horse critically. Suddenly Lothiriel felt very protective.

"She's a wonderful mare," she said. "The dark grey of her coat reminds me of a stormy night at sea, but on the same time, it shines and glitters like the stars on a clear and quiet night. She's so calm, and nice, and she even likes me! Oh, and I know Finna's huge, but Weirhild told me it is normal for Rohirric women to ride a battle steed rather than a tiny winy lady horse. I mean, my brother will most certainly get a shock if he sees me on that mountain of a horse, but I grew really fond of her."

Lothiriel left Eomer's embrace and went to the horse, greeted her and petted her nostrils. She gave her an apple she had taken from the breakfast table, and the horse munched happily. Then she went to the side of the horse and prepared Finna for a ride, who neighed softly and looked around at the girl as if asking why Lothiriel had stopped caressing her.

When Lothiriel was finished, she stepped back to let Weirhild see if she did everything right. There was a long ride ahead of them, and Lothiriel didn't want Finna to rub herself sore only because the Queen of Rohan had been careless. Weirhild nodded approvingly and Lothiriel prevented herself from grinning broadly and instead retained her regal posture. She turned to see Eomer watching her with an unreadable expression. It made her stomach flutter.

"Well, Eomer King! What do you think of her?" Eomer shook his head and then focused on Lothiriel. "She suits you perfectly," he said, then came down the stairs to tend to Firefoot.

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The journey was uneventful, but nevertheless exciting for Lothiriel. She hadn't left Edoras for nearly a year. Although she had never wished to leave the city, as she had had enough to think of, she enjoyed the ride. The trees were leafless now and her breath formed white clouds in the air. Eomer's and her tent protected them from the cold during the night, but every morning the plains were covered in frost. It looked beautiful.

On the third day they met Amrothos and his company.

"Amrothos!" Lothiriel exclaimed and rode forward.

"Sister!" Lothiriel laughed when she saw her brother's facial expression. "I didn't expect to meet you on the road. Is this alright with your husband?" He asked warily.

"Yes, yes, it is!" Lothiriel said, brought Finna to halt and jumped down. "He is with me, somewhere in the back. Dismount, brother, so I can embrace you."

He readily agreed, and soon they were hugging and laughing happily.

"We will stay here for tonight," Amrothos ordered his men. Now Lothiriel noticed how many people were with him. Fifteen horse-drawn caravans came with him. She would inspect them later. Her family had been more than generous.

"Thank you, Amrothos," she said silently.

He nodded cheerily. "Everything for my little sister. And now, where's your famous husband? Eomer, I still can't believe you let her ride like this! It's scandalous! My god, Lothiriel, look at you, you're wearing trousers."

"I am aware."

"It's a good thing Elphir isn't here. He would have your hide if he knew you let yourself seen like this in the public."

That wasn't really what Lothiriel wanted to hear; after all she was an adult. But she laughed and agreed.

"Well, I guess he would be shocked."

"I was shocked when I saw you riding on that beast! Elbereth, it's even bigger than my battle steed! Oh, here you are, King of Rohan."

Eomer had finished instructing their people and joined the siblings. He came to Lothiriel and laid an arm around her waist. She smiled up to him.

Amrothos bowed, then whistled.

"Seems like you two are quite the power pair. It's an honour meeting you again, Eomer King."

Eomer nodded with a sparkle in his eyes.

"I am honoured, Amrothos of Dol Amroth. My wife was so eager to see you she let me pack all our things and meet you on the way."

Amrothos grinned.

"Oh, that's how she treats you? My deepest condolences, Eomer King. I always thought she was more of the quiet, literate sort of girl. And you allowed her to ride that brute of a horse no less, I am impressed. I wouldn't have dared to give Lothiriel a horse back in Dol Amroth, she would have only broken her neck."

Lothiriel clenched her teeth but smiled. Her brother meant no harm, after all.

"That's quite enough, but thank you for your confidence," she smiled.

Eomer grinned down at her.

"We had our ups and downs, but I came to the conclusion that it's best to let her have her will. The consequences would be unbearable."

Eomer bent down to her ear. "For example you could ban me from our bedchamber, which would be unbearable indeed."

"Not here!" Lothiriel hissed. She already felt her face heating up. She was so glad Amrothos hadn't heard that!

"Well," Eomer said, loud again. "Our tent will be ready in half an hour. I would very much prefer to spend my time in your company, but I have to look after my people. I suggest arranging the wagons in a circle and building the camp within. I am also looking forward to a proper bonfire." He gave Lothiriel a pointed look. "I bet you're already freezing but won't tell me because you are stubborn." Lothiriel knew the words he meant were "ashamed to admit" but was thankful he didn't say it out loud.

"I will leave you two on your own. You surely have a lot to catch up. As soon as our tent is standing, love, feel free to invite your brother in."

Lothiriel smiled and squeezed his hand before Eomer bowed to Amrothos and left. She stared after him. His long blond hair was a welcome change in all the grey around them. Amrothos cleared his throat.

"Sister, as much as I admire Eomer King's stature from the back, I am dying to hear what happened to you during the last year. You seem changed. Your letters didn't give away much. Is there a place where we could talk undisturbed?"

Lothiriel smiled softly, took her brother's hand and led him out of the arising camp.

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They talked over an hour then went into the tent. When the euphoria of meeting a member of her family slowly subsided, Lothiriel began to realise how different she was from the girl that had left Dol Amroth a year ago. True, her brother had always been the most informal of her family, but she had followed none of the protocols today, either. She had jumped down a horse! If this seemed strange to Amrothos, he didn't voice it out loud.

However, she also noticed how strange some of her brother's views were to her. Had he always been that smug? Had he never listened to her before? Because when she started to tell him of her life in Rohan, he nodded, waited a while and then interrupted her, just to tell a story himself. Although she was aware that they hadn't seen each other for a long time and had much to tell, this was disconcerting.

"Our father has found a match for me," Amrothos said. "She's eighteen now, and of noble birth, of course. Her father has good connections to Anfalas, so I could expand our network of trade significantly. That's the main reason for the marriage, because I heard that she isn't much of a beauty."

Lothiriel froze.

"So, what do you think?" Amrothos asked. He poured himself more wine.

"Don't do that!" Lothiriel hissed.

"What?" Amrothos looked bewildered. Suddenly Lothiriel became aware that she had never in her life spoken against him. She had always been the little sister.

"I said, don't do that," she repeated. "That girl is only eighteen. You don't know what you are forcing her into."

Amrothos laughed.

"You are not that old either, Lothiriel. And I'm not forcing her into anything. In the letter we received she wrote that she would welcome a marriage between us."

Lothiriel hadn't felt that angry in ages. So that was how her brother saw his political marriage? Had her whole family been that ignorant? Yes, she had been four years older than the girl Amrothos intended to marry, but there had never been a doubt that she would do it.

"You mean she wrote a letter, as I wrote mine? The whole family sitting at the table, dictating me what to write?"

"It was your own decision!" Annoyed, Amrothos downed his cup.

"It wasn't! You manipulated me for weeks! You told me how important that marriage would be and that I would fail my duties as a princess if I declined! I would never have married a complete stranger if I had had the choice. This girl most certainly doesn't want to marry you."

Eomer entered the tent. Lothiriel lifted her eyes. His face was frozen in a mask, and Lothiriel felt the colour draining from her cheeks. He had heard that she never had wanted to marry him!

Amrothos hadn't seen the King of Rohan yet. Now he was angry as well, and he didn't understand what had become of his modest and unassuming sister. She was a nightmare now.

"See," he said as if talking to a toddler. Lothiriel felt helpless and didn't dare to look up. She had destroyed everything she and Eomer had.

"You, and that husband of yours, you made your marriage work. I have seen you. You are happy here. So why do you think you know everything better and want to meddle with my life and my decisions?"

Eomer stood in the open door. As he turned to leave, desperation forced Lothriel to lift her gaze and lock eyes with him. She slightly shook her head. "Don't leave." she whispered. He needed to hear that. She looked back to her brother and sat straight again. Yes, he was her brother, but she was the Queen of Rohan now, and she demanded to be taken seriously.

"Eomer's and my marriage works because I love him," she said in a strong voice. There was a gasp heard from the door, but she didn't look. "I have suffered through eight months of seclusion and rejection. You sent me to a husband I didn't know in a country I didn't know. I had no clue of the language, the customs and the people. In Dol Amroth I had lessons about life, yes, but I was protected all my life. The months where you were fighting at the Black Gate showed me that I got more in me than just being a nice looking princess. But then you came back and assumed I was the same little wallflower you left behind. And you married me off to Rohan. Amrothos, you may be my brother, but you don't know me. Just because I finally got a grip on myself, learnt the language, the people, and even riding, doesn't mean it wasn't hell. So please think twice before you force a girl into marrying you. Get her to know first. And if you think you can bear her for the rest of your life, then marry her. But don't only marry her for her trading connections."

It was silent in the tent. Amrothos was dumbstruck, Lothiriel noticed satisfied. Also Eomer, who just stared at her. Lothiriel stood up and went to him. She had already said it. She had nothing to lose. She laid a hand on his bearded cheek and looked him in the eyes.

"Just so you know," she said. "I don't regret anything. Rohan and you are the best things that happened to me. I love you, but it comes without obligations. You don't have to act differently, now that you know. And you don't have to pretend feelings for me where you don't have any."

She pulled him down for a short kiss, which he willingly let happen. Oh, she loved the beard. "Please, don't change," she said. "I am sorry, I just can't help it."

With these words she left the tent in search for some solitude. This had been a major fuck up. She needed to sort out her feelings.

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Well, I'm back. The end is in sight. I rather like that chapter, and it's pretty long for my standards. Have fun!


	14. Chapter 14

Lothiriel aimlessly wandered through the camp. By telling Eomer how she felt, she had given him the key to her heart. If he wanted, he could destroy her. She knew that in many noble families the husbands took mistresses. Until now, Eomer had never hinted that he wanted another woman, but who knew? Their bed activities… Lothiriel grew hot. As insecure she was about her emotions, as convinced she was that in bed, everything was alright. They had made a deal to voice it out loud if something didn't feel good, and after a few awkward times, Lothiriel grew accustomed to to exactly telling him what she wanted. She liked the things he did with her. In return, she tried to please him the way it felt best for him.

But love… love was an entirely different thing. She was content with how things were as they were - respect and desire. Elbereth, even respect alone would have been enough for her! Now that she had come to know carnal pleasures as well, she didn't want to miss them in her life, but everything was better than coldness and silence.

However, when she thought about it in hindsight, Eomer hadn't seemed that appalled by her feelings. The Rohirrim were a lively people, they welcomed emotions and honesty. Maybe it wasn't all that bad. She couldn't deny that she felt relieved; finally having said what had been on her mind the last weeks. Eomer was an honourable man. He wouldn't make fun of her, and if he didn't feel the same, he wouldn't take advantage of it. It would be against his nature. Of course it wouldn't be easier for her, but it was nice to know that she wouldn't have to fear him. She hadn't feared him in a long time. And, most importantly, she was the Queen of Rohan. She had nowhere to run. She just had to live with her revelation.

Determined not to show cowardice, she finally went to their tent. Light shone through a gap. If there was light inside it meant he was in there. Lothiriel approached the entry and shivered. Of course this was because of the cold. The two guards saw her and bowed their heads in greeting. Now she couldn't back off anymore. Lothiriel took a deep breath and entered the tent.

Lothiriel wasn't prepared for the sight. Not at all. Eomer only wore his breeches and paced in the little space that was provided. His facial expression was murderous. Had there been an error in her conclusions? He looked up and shot her a burning stare. Shocked, she took a little step back.

"Good evening, Eomer," she said nevertheless.

There was a change of emotion on his face she couldn't name, and suddenly he lunged forward and shouted in her face:

"Why didn't you tell me that you never wrote that letter to me!?"

Frozen, Lothiriel stared at him. Eomer abruptly came to a halt only inches in front of her. His chest was heaving, and he emitted an aura of fury and power. She was scared out of her wits, not because of his body, but of his mind. Strangely, he was also very attracting. She didn't dare to look him in the eyes, but she also couldn't move. So she looked straight in front of her, what happened to be his naked chest.

"I…" she opened her mouth but couldn't speak.

"Do you think I'm a monster?" he yelled.

"What?"

"Do you think we Rohirrim are barbarians?"

"No!"

"But you didn't want to marry me! Not even for political reasons!"

Lothiriel felt tears rising to her eyes. No, she hadn't wanted to marry him back then.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered.

"You don't have to be sorry!" Then Eomer realized that she was crying, and suddenly she was pressed to his chest and his arms nearly crushed her.

"I didn't mean to frighten you." He said, calmer, but there was still anger in his voice.

Lothiriel was more than confused, but if felt so good being comforted by him, even if his grip was bruising. It was one of these moments when he simply forgot his strength.

"How could they do this to you?" he wanted to know.

"Do what?" He sounded dangerous. Lothiriel cringed.

"Did your family really force you to marry me?"

Eomer gave her a little more space to look her in the eyes. There was a crease between his eyebrows. Lothiriel struggled to free her arm to reach up and smooth it out. He closed his eyes at the touch. She could feel how his muscles began to relax around her.

"I agreed to it." She said. "They were right, it was my duty."

He shook his head, still with closed eyes.

"I would never sell my child. Even if it brought political advantages. Not if he or she doesn't fully agree with it."

Somehow, this did things to Lothiriel. She smiled through her half-dried tears, and her heart felt warm. She put her other arm around him and pulled him even closer. Then she leant her head against his chest.

"So you're not angry with my?"

"Why should I?"

"Because… I said that I love you?"

Eomer retrieved her arms from him and took a step back. He tenderly caressed her cheek.

"Is it the truth or did you just tell this your brother to prove your point?"

His eyes were on her lips, and the hand wandered from her face to her collarbone, and deeper.

"It was the truth. I do love you."

"Then I really don't have a problem with it."

Lothiriel took this as an invitation and kissed him hard on the mouth. Immediately she was back in his arms. She cried out in surprise when he lifted her up and carried her to the bed.

"Well, my wife, I propose that we continue our conversation in bed," he murmured while kissing down her neck.

"Conversation…yes." Lothiriel sighed. "Elbereth, let's do that."

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	15. Chapter 15

The company went back to Edoras, and it was a happy journey. Despite the differences with her brother, it was great being with him again. They rode side by side as she told him of her life in Rohan, how warm the colors of the wood were and how beautiful the plains during summer. He brought news from Elphir and Erchirion, her sister-in-law, and of course, her father. Apparently, her father was proud of her. It was a strange feeling to realize, that after everything she had done to win his approval, it didn't really matter to her now that she got it.

When they reached Edoras a few days later, Lothiriel said goodbye in order to supervise the staff and organize to have the goods brought from the wagons to the storage houses. Her family had been generous indeed, and she finally felt that they were ready for what would come.

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And then, winter came. The wind howled and the cold seeped through the walls, and the fires in the Golden Hall burned all day long. On the first day of snow, Lothiriel abandoned her staff meeting to run outside and taste the snow on her lips. Moments later her brother barged out, staring at the white mass, followed by Eomer. Amrothos, who had gotten used to Lothiriel by now, shot her a challenging grin. Lothiriel raised her eyebrows. Soon the two Amrothians were in the middle of a merciless snowball fight. Eomer remained a few steps away and amusedly watched them, until one of Lothiriel's snowballs hit him right in the face.

He growled. So that's what she wanted. He had grown up with Eowyn, who hadn't held back even a bit when fighting. Needless to say, he also had a little more experience with snow than his beautiful wife. He barged forward and Lothiriel emitted a surprised squeal when he jumped and tackled her to the ground. However, he made sure he softened her fall and landed on his hands, because his whole weight on her would have crushed her.

Breathless she stared up at him, and he grinned. Then he took a handful snow and rubbed it on her face. Lothiriel screamed. Then she kicked him in the guts, and they rolled around in the snow until somehow it ended in a kiss. Her lips were cold, but she still tasted delicious. He held her body tight against him and she did that little sigh that almost let him lose his mind.

Amrothos coughed behind them.

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The day before the longest night of the year brought two unexpected guests: Gimli, the dwarf, and Legolas, the elb. While Lothiriel had always been a little bit intimidated by them, she greeted them warmly and prepared their quarters. During Yule, Edoras was full to bursting.

The ceremony went over well. Lothiriel, as the mistress of the house, handed out the mead, first to her husband, then to everyone attending. In the evening, Eomer, Amrothos and the two warriors sat together, drinking and laughing.

When the musicians started to play a lively tune, however, Eomer left the table and tapped Lothiriel on the shoulder. "May I ask for a dance?"

"You may," she smiled up to him.

He took her hand and led her to the middle of the hall which had been cleared from tables. Rohirrim loved to dance, so there were already a lot of people. None of them mattered to her as he embraced her and they moved to the rhythm of the music. Their eyes met, and it was the first time Lothiriel saw that special look Eomer gave her. It made her feel warm and giddy.

A few days after the feast, Legolas and Gimli departed. Amrothos accompanied them, as their destination was Minas Tirith. Lothiriel gave him letters for her father.

"Be safe," she said.

"I'm travelling with these two," Amrothos laughed and nodded at Legolas, who tried to look unconcerned while hiding Gimli's helmet beneath his tunic. Of course Gimli found out soon and poked the elf with his axe. "I don't think I could be any safer."

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In spring, they finally visited Dol Amroth. As predicted, Prince Imrahil nearly got an heart attack when he saw his once civilized daughter ride into the courtyard like a man.

Eomer's eyes went cold.

"I have a matter to discuss with your father."

He and Prince Imrahil went to the study while Lothiriel caught up with Elphir and Erchirion, who were overjoyed to see her. They spent the whole day together, sharing stories and telling anecdotes from their lives. Lothiriel felt melancholic. It was like being reminded of the life she had had here, in Dol Amroth. All the time in Rohan she had missed the sea and the city, but now she felt like a guest. It made her realize that her true home now was Rohan.

When Eomer joined her in the bedchamber, he looked far more content.

"What did you have to tell father?" She asked.

"Besides the repay for the kindness he showed us last winter… nothing important."

Then he took her in his arms.

"I love you, Lothiriel."

It was the first time he told her, but the way he had looked at her since Yule had made her already suspect it. It didn't change the flow of happiness she felt.

Lothiriel twirled a strand of Eomer's blond hair between her fingers.

"I know," she simply said. "And I love you, too."

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Back in Edoras, the housekeeper wasn't surprised, either.

"I think he grew on you," Aethild laughed. "Just like mold."

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AN: Here it is, finally, the end. I lost the thread sometime somewhere during summer, but I'm so glad it's finally finished. I hope you had some fun too! Thank you for all the support, be it favorising, following or reviewing the story. Now I can go back to Star Trek and Harry Potter without feeling guilty anymore. Eomer and Lothiriel still hold a special place in my heart, though. Lots of love, leo


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